Once upon a beyblade
by Aegri Somnia Vana
Summary: The redhead shook his head and complied with the consistent tug pulling him towards the door."Not everything is what it seems, Madoka."
1. Chapter 1

**NO BEYBLADING?!**

"Apocalypse was upon them. The new government did not approve of the adolescents spending their time 'uselessly' beyblading, so bladers all over Japan had their beys snatched; never to be seen again. Military schools were set up with the sole purpose to train the bladers in the art of artillery, cavalry and other military tactics so one day they could defend their country. It felt as if the reign of Hitler had spread all over Japan though the only thing that was different was that there was no war at hand and though it was said to be in the favor of the bladers, they knew that someone was trying to suppress them.

Now military schools were like no ordinary schools. Each attendee wore a green jumpsuit and had a tight schedule which was to be completed on time. There were no breaks except the 7 hour sleep at night. Contact with anyone outside including friends and family was strictly prohibited. They were expected to reach the main ground for a 4 mile hike at 5 am sharp and ended their daily routine with 150 pushups. Anyone not following the rules or lacking behind for any reason possible was punished severely. Two bladers shared a room, which contained two beds and two cupboards. The room lacked any windows or any source of ventilation thus the only thing that connected the bladers to the grim hallways outside was the door for entrance, which was locked at 10 pm sharp. If you are outside you are going to have to sleep on the corridor floor tonight and if you are in then well, you are caged. Having two meals each day weakened each attendee to a great extent as their limited food intake and lack of rest did not help their bodies cope up with their torturous schedules.

If anyone enjoyed this miserable, hell of a life, it was the monitors. Those bladers who didn't retaliate to what the government had planned were given the honor to act as monitors. Their routines were the easiest; mostly all they did was supervise by keeping an eye on the others, checking if they were doing their work correctly. They ate extravagantly and did what their hearts desired. The regular rules did not apply to them and with no one there to stop them, they made others' lives a living hell.

...

"Stop!" Masamune called out to the group of monitors who shoved Kenta against the wall.

"Go mind your own business!" growled a lad who wore a black leather jacket.

"Move away from Kenta!" the redhead ordered as he approached towards them.

Turning around, one of them said sternly, "He wasn't doing his work his properly and if you meddling fools don't do your work, we have to teach you a lesson!"

"He is just a kid! Look at his condition, he might faint and you want him to work?!" Masamune yelled as he pushed passed the group and helped Kenta up.

"Are you going to tell us what to do?" the white haired teen asked furiously as he banged Masamune against the wall.

"Leave him, Ryuga!" Kyoya ordered as anger radiated off him.

"Or what, blue eyes?"

Kyoya could not bear such insolent behavior and what followed was very much expected.

KAPOW!

Kyoya punched Ryuga with all his might causing him to fall down. As he turned around, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, Kyoya was greeted with a return punch by Ryuga and so the fight began. Both sides started hitting each other furiously. Pulling the black leather jacketed guy's hair, Gingka punched him knocking him out. He then reached for Kenta who lay on the ground, awestricken. On the other hand, Masamune banged another lad against the wall and kicked him in the stomach. While, Kyoya kept punching Ryuga until his nose bled. Leaving him, he picked up Kenta on his shoulders and the three made a run for it before any more monitors arrived.

"In here!" Kyoya kicked the store room door open as Masamune and Gingka entered. It was not long before the posse reached the store and started banging the door.

"What now?" Gingka asked.

"Wait, I have an idea. You take Kenta while we provide you a safe passage." Masamune directed as a wicked smile made his way to his lips.

Gingka, a little confused as to what he had in mind, took Kenta from Kyoya and moved a little back as Masamune picked up a wooden chair.

"Oh, this is going to be fun!" Kyoya smirked as he opened the door

BAM!

Masamune hit them with the brown chair with Kyoya backing him up while Gingka, with Kenta leaning on his shoulders, ran towards his reaching there, he put Kenta in his bed and handed him a glass of water.

As he sat beside the little green haired kid, looking at his brown eyes, Gingka only saw pain and suffering. He wanted to take Kenta away from this. After all, he had done nothing to deserve this. Nothing. Gingka's attention was then drawn to Kenta's tiny badly bruised arms, as the juvenile moaned in pain. Anger and hatred for this place poisoned Gingka's heart. _Kenta was too young, too fragile to go through something so evil, so merciless._

"Aw, someone's not happy"

Gingka turned around to find Ryuga with a huge grin, at the door. The first thought that came to his mind was that if he was here, where were Kyoya and Masamune?

"You and your pesky friends are so annoying!" he said wiping the blood that trickled from his lips.

"If you want to wake up with everything intact, LEAVE!" Gingka roared as he thought of what he had done to Kenta.

"You're gonna beat me up? Huh? If Kyoya and Masamune, together couldn't get me, what are you gonna do? Touch me and you'll end up being thrown in the Cell like them!"

'Cell?! They are taken to the Cell?' Gingka thought as terror sent a shiver down his spine.

The Cell was the detention room of the military schools. Those who were to be given serious punishment were taken to the Cell. Tortured badly and starved for days, the bladers when came out had either lost their minds or followed the orders given to them as if a dog followed his master.

Gingka's blood began to boil. Trying his best to resist the urge to kill Ryuga, he turned away and asked him to leave, his voice full of sorrow and pain. A lone tear escaped his eye as he thought of the condition his friends would be in. But Ryuga was not in the mood to leave, in fact, he wanted to fan the flame that burned in Gingka's heart.

"By the way, Madoka was asking if you were alright."

"Madoka?"

The name caught his attention and his mind wandered to the day he was carried off to military school. The brunette hugged him with all her might as if never letting go. Assuring her that everything was alright, he slowly let go off her and left with a group of soldiers that came to get him. It had been ages since he had seen her or at least it seemed like it. Oh how much he wanted to see her, she would smile and tell him that all will be well and therefore, blindly believing the girl's words would help his heart be finally at peace.

"Yeah. I told her you were quite happy here."

 _Happy?_ Happiness didn't exist between these dingy walls. The training videos broadcasted and pictures shown were all a curtain pulled to hide the bitter persecution going on behind the red bricked walls. It was to ensure the bladers' families that their loved ones were doing well though the reality begged to differ. What was worse that the people actually bought it; they judged the book by the cover! But then again the ambassadors sent weekly displayed the same image as they were monitors, the government's dogs.

Gingka, helpless, clenched his fists as tears threatened to flood his eyes. There was nothing he could do! Nobody was there to help him. No one.

A month passed and the conditions worsened with Kyoya and Masamune still in the cell. Moreover, Gingka and kenta's schedule changed into something that caused them to scream in pain each night leading to severe insomnia and when they couldn't pace up with the extreme set of duties they were handed; they were gifted with lashes. Rest and peace were the two words, all of them wondered if did exist outside these demonic halls.

When all hope was lost and agony crept up in their lives, it was time for him to come. The earth trembled, fear vanished, birds silenced, crowds dispersed in his presence. He was the light in pure darkness, the key who would free all the troubled and caged souls who were tormented day and night. He was going to free them. After all, it was his destiny…"

"And he was Zeo?!" Benkei cut Zeo, who held a torchlight under his chin, lighting up his face.

"Ofcourse, it was me! This is the part where I'll save you" claimed Zeo, his grin stretching from one earlobe to the other.

"This was the craziest thing I've ever heard!" Masamune commented as he sipped coke.

"Yeah! I lived without hamburgers?!" Gingka agreed as he stuffed a hamburger in his mouth.

"More like you lived without Madoka!" King corrected Gingka as Kyoya smirked.

"What? I can live without her!" Gingka rolled his eyes not quite sure how to respond.

"Nope!"

"Yes!" Gingka said as his cheeks turned as red as a tomato

"Come on dude! You can't! Wait, I'll prove it. She said she'll fix your bey in three day's time, right? And you went to her 4 times today to ask if she fixed it." Masamune explained

"Because… Because… I missed Ma- Pegasus" GIngka blurted out shaking his head repeatedly.

Everyone laughed at his reply. To which, Gingka laughed sarcastically trying to hide the deep red that spread over his cheeks.

"We should do this more often." Benkei suggested.

"What? Tease Gingka about Madoka?" Masamune asked while cocking an eyebrow.

"NO! I mean a bro's night."

"Yeah! After all I get to tell 'around the torchlight stories'" Zeo exclaimed.

Laughing, everyone agreed.

Later that night, Gingka laid in his bed, thinking about what the lads had been saying. He liked Madoka but…

Buzz! Buzz!

Picking up the phone, that interrupted his thoughts, Gingka assumed that it was Masamune. So without any thought, he asked him to stop teasing him this late.

But it wasn't him, a trembling voice came instead. Clouds of fright and nervousness surrounded the redhead as his ears caught the words,

"G-Gingka? There was an a-accident."


	2. Chapter 2

**LIQUOR AND BLOOD**

An aura of dizziness and euphoria surrounded the lad as the alcohol ran through his veins. After such a long time had he just laid back and had fun, not thinking of the consequences.

"One more!" he announced, as he passed a hand through his chocolate brown hair to which the crowd of girls around him squealed and cheered.

"Go Chao Xin!" they chanted again and again boosting his confidence. He gave his rival a challenging look as the intoxicating liquid made way to his lips.

"I'm not losing that easily!" exclaimed the lad seated in front of him as he poured the liquor down his throat. They went on and on, none of them sure as to how long, but they were out on vacation, and time was the last thing both of them cared about.

"Wha-a-at? Dude you a-are two!" Chao Xin said pointing his finger to his friend, trying to make out his features. Blurry vision and slurry speech grasped a hold of him causing him to twitch.

"Uh I feel sick!" Da Xiang put a hand on his mouth and got up but neither the gravity nor his body was in his favor. Crashing down on the floor, he found himself surrounded by a group of gasping ladies. Smiling slyly, he tried to get up but the claws of wooziness had him trapped, the entire world around him felt as if it were spinning. Suddenly, nostalgia took over him as he felt as if he was sitting on a merry go round, oh childhood memories!

"Hey, you okay?" the worried purple eyes looked at him.

"Uh, yeah."

"I guess we drank too much for the night." Chao Xin pulled him up as he smiled sheepishly.

Leaning on each others' shoulder, the two left the bar, almost stumbling over on their way out. But the night didn't end yet. Approaching the parking lot, Da Xiang was surprised by the black slick limousine waiting for the two. Chao Xin did know how to plan a guy's night out!

It's a wonder what some alcohol does to you, the two comrades felt as if they were on cloud nine and roamed the streets of Bey city like crazy patients that just got out of mental asylum. They swayed their heads out of their windows like a little kid would, filling their lungs with light night breeze and with music high, they ran from one mall to another, pitching.

'Hey, beautiful!" Da Xiang screamed out to a lady passing by who was wearing a black pencil skirt with a black sleeveless top which Da Xiang found to be extremely hot. Looking around she found a Chinese lad staring at her.

"Hello!"

"Can I take you home tonight?" the lad asked innocently causing her to laugh. At the same moment he was pushed aside and another head popped out of the window. His eyes scanned her taking in her costume from head to toe.

"Might I say that you look hot!"

"And might I say you look…"

HONK! HONK!

"Move, you are blocking up the road!" a cab driver bellowed causing Chao Xin to groan. Da Xiang drove the car away from the lady as Chao Xin waved her goodbye and screamed," Call me!" Despite the fact that she didn't have his number, she still nodded or he thought she did.

Pulling his head in, he declared, "I'm in love, brother. There was definitely some tension there."

Laughing, Da Xiang hit his head slightly, "I laid my eyes on her before you!"

"That doesn't ma… DA XIANG! LOOK OUT!"

It happened in mere seconds, the two were laughing, enjoying and they didn't realize that Da Xiang was not looking on the road anymore. Throwing his hands in the air, Chao Xin closed his eyes frightened of the gory incident that followed, while Da Xiang pressed the brakes with all his might trying to stop before…

But it was too late.

He could see it, the black limo approaching him. It felt as if his everything in his surroundings froze except the automobile that headed straight towards him. He was stuck; his feet glued to the ground. It was like that his head was commanding him to run but his feet refused to act. Breathing in, his jaws dropped as something hard hit him…

Black out!

Running out of the limo, the two looked at him; terror stricken.

"What do we do?" Chao Xin shrugged Da Xiang

" i-I… uhh… I don't know."

Blood, as if a river, gushed out of the lad's head. Fear overwhelmed him as Chao Xin felt as if his inners would come out; it was so red, so thick, and so real. It was nothing like he has seen in movies, or in documentaries. The red shade was so conspicuous that just seeing it caused his limbs to shake.

"Someone call an ambulance!" a pedestrian who witnessed the accident yelled out.

Breathing in and out, Chao Xin eyes followed the trail of blood that soon reached his feet. He never knew that the sight of that red liquid would terrify him so much. Moving a few steps back, his purple orbs met the motionless body that lay on the ground. So quiet, so still, so lifeless. Lifeless? The word haunted his mind as he fell to his feet. Each part of his body wanted to scream, to run, but he remained rooted to his spot, just watching.

"The ambulance will…"

"let's take…"

"but… wait…"

Voices… Too many voices.

The body was being lifted. _Where were they taking him?_ Chao Xin looked up to find Da Xiang picking up the lad with the help of another man. Suddenly, it struck him; hospital. Blinking repeatedly, he got up and sat in the limo.

They hastily drove to the nearest hospital. Next thing you know, a group of nurses and surgeons rushed towards them. Putting the teen on the stretcher, they vanished, taking him further inside the white tiled building.

On the other hand, Da Xiang's heart hammered against his chest as he sat at the bench near him. Adrenaline rushed through his veins causing him to shiver severely. _They… No, he might have k-killed him; an innocent. He had been so irresponsible…_

"We might go to jail."

Turning around, Da Xiang saw Chao Xin fling his hands up in the air, but for some reason being jailed didn't scare him right now. His mind wandered to their victim. He was just a kid, maybe 18 or merely 19. He would have a family; parents, that would be expecting him at home right now. He might be someone's brother, friend or lover. What pain would they undergo when they would come to know their loved one is going through something so agonizing because two bloody drunk bastards run him over? Disgust and revulsion was all he felt, for what he did. If he had just paid attention to the road, they would not have been in such a mess.

Two hours passed, though it felt like they stood there forever. They needed someone; someone to tell him that everything would be fine, someone who knew this place. Because suddenly everything felt foreign and alien to the two tourists as they waited for the doctors to come out to inform them of his condition. Taking out his phone, Chao Xin dialed the number.

"G-Gingka? There was an a-accident"

Gingka picked up his jacket and ran out the door. Chao Xin had already told him that they would be spending their vacations here. As a matter of fact, they both were going to visit him tomorrow. Reaching the hospital, Gingka ran towards the ICU. Seeing the two familiar faces, he called out to them.

"So, didn't you find any papers… like identification card, drivers' license or anything with his name on it? We need to inform his family."

"No, the doc just took him in the ICU and he didn't come out yet so…"

"Anything he had with him?"

"No. Nothing that I remember. It just happened so fast…"

"Are you the ones that brought the kid who got hit by a car, here?" a blonde that appeared to be the nurse asked.

"Yes." Chao Xin replied.

"Um sir you have to fill out some papers."

As Da Xiang and Chao Xin filled out the paper work, Gingka looked around thinking of what to do next. Suddenly, Chao XIn pointed towards a teen lying on the stretcher, with an oxygen mask strapped to his mouth. Drips of blood were hanging by his sides as he was taken in a room by two nurses. A group of surgeons soon followed.

"He is the one."

Gingka's eyes shot open and he let out a sudden gasp. Petrified, he turned ghostly pale due to fear as he moved towards the door which had 'Operation Theatre' carved on it. _No, his eyes, they were playing tricks on him. He didn't see…_

Dark red hair with beige highlights fell over the victim's eyes. Bitter realization jerked him back to reality as he felt beads of perspiration form on his forehead.

 _No, it can't be… the person was none other than… Zeo._

 **A/N: Umm… for people who don't knw zeo, he is masamune's best friend from America… n uh well yeah I thought to get him hit cuz he would be last person anyone would expect… n well if i hit anyone else… someone (mainly ma bestie) would kill me cuz first I thought of yoyo being hit… hehehe anyway R &R peeps…**


	3. Chapter 3

**HOSPITALIZED**

Grief stricken, he held the phone in his shaking hands, tears cascading down his eyes. Realizing, the bitter truth, he crouched down clutching the phone harder waiting for a laugh or something to signal him that what the voice informed was a lie and all of this was nothing but a prank. But no such consolation came.

For as long as he could remember Zeo, had been around to comfort him, give him hope, lighten up his mood. He was like his older brother who looked after him day and night. Just thinking about losing his best friend brought him on the verge of crying hysterically. Wiping his tears and mustering up some courage in a weak attempt to placate his wounded soul, he locked the door and headed for the hospital.

The sweltering heat did nothing to melt the ice in his heart. Silent prayers left his tongue for his friend who was being operated right now, as he sat at the back seat of the cab. Getting out, the lad vaguely took out the money from his pocket and ran towards the glass doors, not caring of how much he had given the driver. His mind kept praying that his friend would be safe and sound. As he ran through the door indicating ICU, he found Gingka and Madoka standing there, wearing worried expressions.

Panting, he asked frantically, "How… is he?"

"The doctors took him inside when I called you. Chao XIn said he was bleeding a lot when they brought him."

"Chao XIn?!"

"Umm… Masamune, it was Chao XIn and Da Xiang that hit Zeo. They were dr-"

"What?" Masamune gasped as a fire burned inside him. _Chao XIn?_ He hated the guy's guts since forever and after knowing that he was the reason Zeo was in that ICU, riled him beyond extent. A seed of rage had been sown in Masamune's heart. Of revenge. Of hate.

Clenching Gingka's collar he growled, "WHERE IS HE?!"

"Masamune, it wasn't on purpose…" Madoka tried to explain.

"I'm asking WHERE IS HE?!"

"Th-They went to the cafeteria."

Leaving him, Masamune rushed to the cafeteria. _He had to pay. That bastard put Zeo through this._ Spotting the brown haired lad, Masamune ran and jumped over him, punching him fiercely again and again. Down and down and down, he slammed his curled knuckles into the Chao Xin's cheeks and nose.

"You did this! I'm gonna kill you. What did he ever do to you?"

Chao Xin moaned in pain as he pushed the black haired teen off of him.

"I didn't do this! It was an accident!"

But Masamune didn't back down and punched him again.

"Get off me!" Chao Xin screamed as he hit the lad back. Subsequently, Gingka held Masamune back, who flailed his arms in the air, squirming, yelling to be left alone, as Chao Xin got up and rubbed his bruised cheeks.

"Leave me, Gingka!"

"Masamune he didn't do it, they were drunk and didn't look upon the road. Zeo was crossing the road and the limo hit him. They tried their best to stop. But…"

"I don't care! He is…" Masamune said with a cracking voice as he tried to break free, but soon gave up.

As tears fell down his cheeks and he dropped to his knees with his head slumped down and hands helplessly resting on the ground.

"I…don't… care."

Madoka, seeing her friend in so much pain, bent down to his level and pulled him into a hug.

"Masamune, he's going to be okay. Don't worry." Madoka assured him as she patted him, while the sobbing lad hugged her back.

After a while, the trio sat with Chao Xin and Da Xiang across them, waiting for any news. It had been five hours since Gingka saw Zeo being taken to the 'Operation Theatre'. Soon Tsubasa along with Yu and Kenta arrived.

"I called Toby and informed him. I asked him to take the first flight here, in case you know, anything goes wrong." Tsubasa whispered to Gingka, who nodded absently in return.

"Masamune's not taking it well. He is pretty depressed but maybe when Toby comes he'll feel better." Madoka who sat beside the two, stated as she gazed at the puffy eyed teen with his hands gripping his hair.

"Are you Mr. Abyss's friends?" a man, who appeared to be in his 40s, wearing a white mask and green robe, asked.

"Yes." Gingka stood up to hear what the doctor had to say.

"Hmm… I'm afraid Mr. Abyss has lost a lot of blood and his head injury was also quite brutal, causing mild clotting in his frontal cerebral hemisphere. Good news is that due to proper timing, and availability of blood there is no major health threat, however he might have a little hard time remembering."

"So, do you mean he won't remember anything?" Masamune asked, scared to be notified of the worst.

"No, I mean that he would not remember some details of his life. It may include a friend, or uh maybe his relatives or any event but he won't lose his memory as a whole. There is nothing to worry about; there is usually a chance that patients suffering from slight memory loss soon recover and start remembering. Other than that, I think Mr. Abyss is totally unharmed, apart from the bruises and minor injuries, but we still will have to keep him hospitalized for a week or two to keep him under check for any internal bleeding or any other damage that might have occurred."

"Thank you, doctor." Madoka replied as the doctor nodded.

"When can we see him?" Masamune asked eagerly.

"Um… he will most probably regain consciousness till tomorrow morning, so you can visit him then." The doctor replied, smiling;" now if you can excuse me, I have to perform another surgery."

Sitting down Masamune felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of him. A smile made way to his lips as he thought that Zeo was 'unharmed'. Exhaling away all the tension and nervousness, he looked up to find Gingka smiling at the lad as Madoka spoke, "I told you he was going to be fine! Worrying uselessly."

"it's Zeo for crying out loud, he was gonna save us remember?" Gingka stated as Masamune, Tsubasa and Yu laughed, reminiscing Zeo's story.

~The next morning~

"Gingka? Gingka! Masamune? GUYS!"

"Huh? What?" Masamune asked as he rubbed his eyes. Due to the hustle, none of the lads got a night's sleep, hence Masamune, Gingka along with Chao XIn and Da Xiang lay on the benches and slept, whereas Tsubasa went to the cafeteria to get Yu and Kenta some icecream.

"He's awake. Zeo's awake!" Madoka screamed and giggled at the same time.

"What? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go see him." Gingka said jumping up.

All of them ran to the ward, where Zeo was shifted to, last night. Rushing inside, Masamune saw Zeo, whose head was bandaged with a white cotton strip on which some dark red stains had made their way to the top from the right side. He was surrounded by two nurses, while he smiled slyly.

"Zeo!" the brown eyed lad almost jumped on his friend.

"Hey!" he greeted, as he hugged him back.

The rest, watched to two friends meet. Smiling, Madoka placed some flowers on his bedside while Gingka greeted him.

"You gave us a scare!" Madoka said

"Haha, told you that you guys wouldn't be able to live without meh." Zeo claimed.

Suddenly, Zeo's eyes met Chao Xin as he cocked an eyebrow. The two Chinese lads seemed to notice and sudden embarrassment, and guilt took over them.

"Oh yeah I forgot, lemme introduce you to Chao Xin, Da Xiang. They were on the Chinese team 'Wang Hu Zhong'." Gingka said pointing towards the two.

"Yeah, I know but I didn't know I was so famous that they came to visit." Zeo said, grinning.

"Umm… about that…" Da Xiang was about to explain that Masamune interrupted him.

"They are good friends of mine. Chao Xin and I battled a few times so… they were in town, when they came to know they came to visit."

Everyone passed perplexed looks failing to comprehend why Masamune lied however, Masamune hardly paying attention to his friends' sudden curiosity sat on a nearby stool and asked Zeo if his arm hurt. Zeo looking forlornly at his bruised arm nodded.

"But, there is a good thing to this accident. I got the hottest nurse. She comes to check up on me after a little while. I feel so special." Zeo exclaimed as he winked to which everyone laughed. He did know how to cheer everyone in the most awkward or horrid of situations.

BAM!  
The door flung open. Panting, Yu came inside along with Kenta and Tsubasa.

"we came… as soon as we… heard!" Yu alleged wheezing his mouth covered with vanilla icecream.

"How are you doing?" Tsubasa asked smiling as he shaked Zeo's hand.

"I've been better, mate." Zeo heaved a sigh.

Grrr!

Looking around everyone found Gingka's putting a hand on his belly and smiling sheepishly.

"Guys I'm hungry." Gingka said.

"Gingka! This is isn't the time!" Madoka glared at him.

"Hahaha, you guys go get something to eat, I'll stay with Zeo." Tsubasa volunteered. Everyone agreed and started to make for the door that Madoka saw Masamune standing near Zeo, clearly not wanting to come.

"You too, Masamune. You haven't eaten anything for the past 11 hours." Madoka grabbed his arm and all of them left for the cafeteria.

As they reached the cafeteria, all of them sat on a huge circular table as they munched on some hamburgers.

"Friends? Huh?" Chao Xin inquired trying to get Masamune to explain himself.

"I am not forgiving you for you did, but I don't think that Zeo in this condition should know that you both hit him. So I think it's best if we don't tell him." Masamune said scornfully still looking down at his burger.

Da Xiang and Chao Xin nodded as Gingka patted Masamune slightly on his back. After all, he was right. What would he think? Moreover the two lads were too ashamed, too mortified to face him.

…

A day passed, and Zeo lay in his room, that he suddenly heard someone knock. Opening his eyes, he found Masamune standing along with a grey haired kid who Zeo recognized to be Toby. Hugging his buddy he realized that there was someone else there too.

Her black hair reached her shoulders and she wore black jeans with a purple top. Grey eyes looked at him in pity as her pink glossy lips moved, "Zeo, are you okay?"

' _How did she know my name? Is she one of Masamune's friends?'_ Zeo thought that suddenly she hugged him. Almost jerking her away, Zeo gazed at her, full of shock. Utterly embarrassed, she took a few steps back as Masamune asked, "What is it Zeo?"

"Who is she?"

"Zeo, it's Ava!" Toby announced as if it was an obvious piece of some puzzle.

"I don't know her." Zeo looked at the two lads confused as the girl gasped in utter shock.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: First I wanna confirm that Ava is infact an OC… I tried my best to keep this OC free but I just had to add her… :P few girls in the beyblade cast u know… other than that… uhhh… ENJOY (- ^.^-)**

 **OUT AND ABOUT**

Her eyes kept gazing at the wooden door, the little window helped her view him so easily. The pain was unbearable; it felt as if the sharpest of spears had pierced her heart, impaling her. Out of all people, all the things, he forgot her. Blinking repeatedly she tried to prevent the tears from descending down her grey eyes. She then turned away her gaze, and looked to her right at the gloomy corridor. Empty and lifeless- exactly how she felt. Sighing, she got up and thought of leaving. She glanced one last time through the window hoping that Zeo would just for once, smile at her or give her a sign that he knew, that he remembered.

Guilt and pain like he had never experienced kept clawing him, bruising him, wounding him. They said he loved her but he didn't even recognize her. _I would have remembered… wouldn't I?_

He didn't know what to do. He couldn't act like he knew her because he didn't but he could see her mourning. He wanted to tell her that he remembered, lie to her even because he knew that the sorrow was traumatizing.

She was beautiful. As she talked, Zeo always found himself staring at her. So elegant. So pure. Her black hair swayed slightly as she shifted her head. Her grey orbs lit each time she sat across him, telling him stories, anecdotes which he never could relate to. Everything made Zeo think that how could he forget? If he knew her, loved her he _couldn't_ forget her. The mere thought sent an excruciating pang of regret down his body making him lament for this shortcoming. The doctors said that he would remember soon hence, she brought all sorts of things photos, videos, to trigger his memory, but nothing happened.

She stood outside watching as he gaped in her direction. Just as their eyes met, he looked away. Disappointed, she turned around.

Leaving the hospital, she headed for B-Pit. As she entered through the door, Ava found Madoka seated at the couch.

"Hey!" Madoka greeted.

Clumsily closing the door, she went straight towards the spare room allotted to her by the generous mechanic not bothering to greet her back. She lay down, clutching the white pillow next to her chest as she sobbed her heart out. Little did she know, that a brunette was peeking through the door.

Madoka wanted to help but knew she couldn't do or say anything that would pacify Ava and feeling helpless went downstairs to call Gingka.

"Hey!"

"Gingka, its Ava… She's crying herself to sleep consecutively each night and Zeo is getting discharged tomorrow and still he hasn't remembered anything about her…"

"I know… But the doctor said it'll take time I know he'll remember. Don't worry ok?"

"Hmm… but-"

"No buts… It's gonna be fine I know it! You should sleep, it's late…"

"Yeah I guess…"

"I'll come tomorrow… I'll talk to her then."

* * *

Annoyed, at the bright light seeping through the purple silky curtains that lit her face, Ava groaned. She turned around hiding her face with her pillow that the door flung open.

"Wake up sleepy head!"

"What no!" She grunted, wanting to sleep for a little while longer as Madoka pulled her blanket away.

"Give it back!" She demanded moaning like a little kid who had his candy snatched away.

"Nope! You don't wanna waste time here… Zeo will be waiting!"

 _Zeo… He was getting discharged today._ Beaming, Ava sat up straight and jumping out of bed ran outside. Putting on shoes, she grabbed her bag and was about to leave that she heard Madoka call her.

"AVAAAA!"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to go to hospital in your PJs?!"

Looking down, Ava realized that she was wearing her blue polka dotted pajamas. Slightly embarrassed she ran upstairs and changed. Almost stumbling down from the stairs, she reached downstairs and found that Gingka and Madoka were waiting for her. The three picked up Masamune from the way and rushed to the hospital.

Running through the corridors to Zeo's room, Ava felt an array of emotions as happiness and euphoria sent butterflies down her stomach. Upon entering the room, she almost squealed when she saw Zeo sitting in a wheel chair, smiling at the teen.

"Hey!"

"Hi…"

If Ava had not known better she would say that Zeo was back to normal. Grinning, she hugged him who hugged her back while Masamune smirked looking at the two.

"Hey bud!" Masamune approached Zeo's chair, holding it from behind and began pushing.

"Ugh… God! You have put on weight over the past few days!" Masamune commented as he acted that the chair was too hard to push.

"Yeah, your delicate hands can't bear to push me, lemme call the 5 year old who gave me a whole damn ride around the hospital. He's muscular enough to push me home!" Zeo said his tone full of playful sarcasm as everyone laughed.

Coming out the grim white hallways, Zeo felt an uncontrollable excitement. Everything seemed to feel so bright, so colorful and cheerful as they passed through the garden. Beautifying the panorama were roses and daffodils and tulips in rows, blooming, along the asphalt path running through the garden. His eyes longed to see the blue, red, yellow and purple, delicate petals swaying in slightest of breeze, to witness the birds hovering in the air, free and independent, to hear them chirp. Lying down in his room he despised the sunflower bed which was greeted by sunlight all day, while he sat in the cold and dark room inside. So now when the sunlight encompassed him, gave him the warmth he needed, adrenaline ran through his veins and a sudden feeling of victory overtook him. He had never felt so alive especially after the horrific incident that scarred him for life.

"Uh… Can we stop at the restaurant?" Gingka asked

"Gingka, you are always hungry!" Madoka looked at him chuckling as the red head picked her up.

"Yeah, I am! You got a problem miss?"

Giggling, Madoka jokingly hit him.

"Gingka Hagane put me down this instant!"

"Make me!" Gingka challenged as the brunette swayed her arms but Gingka did not let go and sat in the driver's seat.

"Gingka, you can't drive like this!"

"Is that a challenge?" he asked enthusiastically as he started the engine.

"No, Gingka I'm serious… you can't drive with me in your lap!" Madoka said as she got up and moved towards the back seat.

"Hey! Come back here! Ok, Masamune can drive!" Gingka retaliated as he hurried to the back seat and grabbed her from her waist pulling her closer.

A smile made way to her lips as Ava looked at the two. Then her gaze shifted to Zeo who was talking to Masamune and she sighed. Oh she would give anything for experiencing the moment where Zeo would just hold her like Gingka held Madoka. Frustrated at the low possibility of that happening, she sat in the passenger seat while Zeo sat beside Gingka and Madoka at the back.

During the journey, both Gingka and Masamune sang crazily along the songs playing on the radio. Zeo found it peculiar that he didn't know many of them but that didn't bother him right now. His mind kept wondering to what would happen now. Ava, was one of the people he didn't remember, what if he didn't remember more? Would he have to hurt someone else too? He looked at Ava who was gazing outside at the cars passing by, her head resting on her hands. The guilt of not remembering was far too much and he didn't want to experience that again.

Reaching B-Pit, Gingka, Madoka and Ava got off. Smiling, both the lads said goodbye to the three and went on. When Zeo arrived, entering, he looked at the apartment, where according to Masamune they had stayed. Some of the rooms seemed similar while others felt foreign. But Zeo had become accustomed to the feeling of things being alien to him and so he did not question much. After half an hour or so, the door knocked and a green haired lad entered with a purple haired chubby kid behind him.

"Heard you got banged up pretty good, you okay?" the green haired lad asked smirking.

"Yeah, I guess…" Zeo replied trying to remember who he was. He recognized the pudgy kid and though the green haired teen seemed familiar Zeo found it hard to pinpoint who it was.

"Kyoya, Benkei, want something to eat?" Masamune asked confirming Zeo's suspicions as to the identities of the two lads.

"No I gotta head back… I apologize for not visiting earlier I came to know late and I had been busy…" Kyoya claimed.

"No, it's ok…" Zeo replied shaking his head.

"But… Kyoya buddy… I wanted t-"

"You can stay Benkei… I'll see you guys later…" Kyoya left in a hurry.

"So let's have food…" Benkei said eagerly as Masamune brought a pizza to the table.


	5. Chapter 5

**TERRORIZED**

Opening her eyes, Ava looked up at the ceiling. Staring, kept staring…

For some reason the ceiling seemed to be the most interesting and eye-capturing thing that existed. Seconds and then minutes passed. She kept staring at the clear green painted roof; her mind somewhere far. As she harked back to the events that occurred last night a beam appeared lighting up her face.

* * *

"Hey guys! This isn't fair… Oh who am I kidding? I. Give. Up!" Zeo groaned as he roamed all around the apartment trying to figure out where his friends were hiding. After all these years all they could think of 'playing' was HIDE AND SEEK! And what was more absurd Masamune thought for some stupid reason that it might trigger his memory.

"Aw, you give up?" Ava asked as she covered his eyes with the help of her hands.

"Yeah!" Zeo admitted as he tried to peek through her sight blocking hands.

"So if you give up you lose!" Toby exclaimed as he came out the kitchen and leaned against the door.

"You were in the damned kitchen all along?!"

"Yeah."

Zeo heaved a sigh as he flung his arms up in the air as Masamune came out the closet.

"I guess it's time for food?" Masamune eagerly pushed past Toby and hurried for the kitchen.

An hour or so passed and Toby, Ava and Zeo sat at the couch perplexed trying to figure out what the black haired teen was acting as. Ava kept squinting while Zeo's right eye twitched and Toby just shook his head smirking, as Masamune swung his arms up and down and then danced which seemed to be the Arabian belly dance.

"Seriously man! STOP!" Zeo finally said, creeped out by the moment.

"Can't guess?" Masamune cocked an eyebrow.

"Dude, what's there to guess? You are acting like a friggin' striper!"

Masamune just groaned at Zeo's compliment while Ava giggled. Toby got up and motioned Masamune to sit while he acted. The four friends went on and on, acting their hearts out. After pure exhaustion the group decided to watch some freaky movies. After watching 'Scary movie 3' Toby glanced at the clock and bid farewell as it was already 10.

"Ava? Come, I'll drop u off in the way." Toby suggested.

"Um… I'll go by myself." Ava replied looking at Zeo and that was enough for Toby to understand. He knew very well how it felt to lose someone close and Ava's want to stay with Zeo a little while longer was very much evident in the half-smile that rested on her lips as she resented leaving.

As Toby left, Ava pulled out 'Vampires Suck' out the cabinet.

"Hahaha, who hates Vampires?" Zeo grinning as he put on the video.

"Apparently you mate!" Ava smirked.

"A parody is as good as it gets." Zeo winked.

Midway in the movie, when Ava turned around she saw that Zeo had fallen asleep. He looked extremely adorable; at least that's what Ava thought. His head resting on the fluffy brown cushion as he breathed in and out, a slight smile lightened his face and his red hair covered his eyes. Ava fought the sudden urge to lie in his arms, to feel the warmth she longed for that would melt the ice piercing her heart each day and night. Sighing, she picked up her coat. She had to leave, staying here, with Zeo so close yet so far was _tormenting._

"Where are you going?" Masamune asked as he munched on some popcorn.

"Uh… it's getting late…" Ava startled by Masamune's question turned around.

"Dude, its eleven thirty! It's as late as it could get. Stay for the night."

"Umm… I-I really gotta leave. Madoka has been texting me again and again. Apparently she's worried sick why I didn't reach home yet?"

Masamune furrowed his brows. "Tell her you are staying for the night…"

Ava wanted to stay; in fact leaving was the worst decision she could make. But her heart could not bear any more of the pain. Rubbing her hands, she looked down hoping Masamune would just let her go.

"Masamune, i…" Ava tried to convince the lad but in no way possible could she muster up the courage or words to explain why she wanted to leave.

Masamune sensing the pain his childhood friend was in suggested, "If you want to leave I'll drop you o-"

"NO!" Ava blurted out but then composed herself trying to suppress her feelings, "I mean we can't leave Zeo alone… What if-"

"He's asleep, he'll be fine and you can't go out alone this late it's not sa-"

"Don't worry I'll be fine."

"You sure because it'll only take me a few minutes to drop-"

"No seriously, I'll be fine." Ava appreciated Masamune's concern but she wanted to be alone and a walk back was just what she needed.

Sighing, Masamune hugged her and led her out.

"You sure?"

"Yes, Masamune. I'll be fine. I'm not a little kid." Ava waved and started walking while Masamune kept watch as she took a left disappearing from sight.

Walking on the rocky footpath, she gazed up at the sky. The street lamps were at some distance and the city lights did not obscure the beauty of the bright stars that titivated the blackish blue horizon perfectly. Seeing the thousands of twinkling lights above gave her hope, after all if one light had diminished it was only a matter of time that it lit up again.

Her train of thought suddenly came to a halt as she bumped into someone. Looking up, she found a pair of eyes gaping at her. Shrugging, Ava apologized for not looking where she was off to but the lad just stood there and watched as he smiled slyly. Feeling a little awkward, Ava moved to her left to leave but the lad held out a hand thus stopping her. Ava, confused, moved a few steps back as the lad stepped towards her, smirking.

"You are gonna just leave?" He asked, as if he was disappointed.

As the lad advanced to her, Ava found that they were not alone. A posse appeared from behind him and soon they start hooting and shoving each other. Ava was hit by a wave of confusion, blistered with panic. She felt a worrying shudder in her chest, as if her heart wanted to escape, to flee her body. _This was not good._

She kept moving back, his intense gaze following her. As she took another step the lad pulled her up close and light from the street lamp illuminated his face. His white hair sent a shiver down her spine as panic swelled inside her almost too much to bear that the white haired lad spoke again.

"Tell me, love. What are you doing out so late?"

"Leave me!" Ava growled as she tried to break free from his grasp but his arms held onto her tightly.

"No need to get all cranky, babe. C'mon let's have some fun"

The lad slowly slid his hand under her shirt and made his way up as Ava whimpered. But the lad held her so tightly against his chest that it had began to hurt her. Howls and hoots suppressed her sobs as she relentlessly tried to free herself. She kept wishing that she had stayed back. With no one nearby to help her she was surely doomed. Soon, Ava felt his lips slightly brushing up against her neck and tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Ryuga, it's enough! Let her go!" a heavy voice ordered authoritatively.

The lad looked up and grinned malevolently.

"But we are just having some fun. Aren't we, love?"

"I have seen enough 'fun'. Let her go!" The lad yelled, his lips taut with anger, eyes on fire.

Ryuga turned around, holding Ava strongly by her arm.

"What? Are you questioning me?"

"Questioning? I'm _ordering_ you!"

"Make me!" Ryuga smirked and began kissing Ava's neck.

At that moment, the lad utterly snapped. He rushed forward and threw himself on Ryuga, grasping with his fingers like claws. He held down Ryuga with his left hand as his right fist rained punches upon Ryuga's face, one after the other. Ava took a few steps back as she was held by someone from the gang witnessing this brawl. Three guys came and separated the two. But the lad didn't back down and threw off the guys holding him and lunged at Ryuga once again.

Ava stared at him horror-struck. Now almost everyone tried to get the lad away from Ryuga but he didn't back down. In the hustle and commotion everyone, forgot about Ava who stood there, frozen, rooted to the same spot where she was left at; utterly and completely confused and bewildered at the same time. Soon some guys got hold of the attacker and hurled him away as he tried to break free. Ryuga stood up, crimson shadowing his features. Almost as impossible as it seemed the lad broke free and made way for Ryuga again.

"Touch her again and I will rip out your throat out!"

Ava still gawked at him, not knowing what to do that the lad shot a look at her.

"What the hell are doin'? RUN!"

As if his words broke the strong metal chains caging her and knocked some sense into her; she started running. Luckily, no one followed and she did not bother looking back to know why. Scampering, she soon reached the B-pit. Closing the door shut, she panted; sinking to the floor, she pulled her legs up tight against her body hoping to eradicate her mind of the horrific incident that she had been subjected to.

* * *

Though her body ached because of the abuse she had gone through, some part of her just wished that she would meet her savior and thank him. After all, if it were not for him, God knows where she would be.

Sliding up from her bed, she went down to get some coffee. She greeted Madoka, who was busy fixing Gingka's bey. Putting two teaspoons of sugar she held the cup and began rotating the spoon in a circle to help dissolve the sweet cubes.

"Hey!" Gingka greeted as he entered the shop.

To meet Gingka, Ava almost skipped out the kitchen that she saw someone leaning against the door.

His green hair fell down his back and two scars lay on his cheeks right under his eyes. His tan skin greatly complimented his muscular build. The sight of the lad caused Ava to shudder and what was worse that it was not because he looked like some badass criminal out from a movie. His blazing blue eyes; they seemed awfully familiar and it took mere seconds for Ava to remember where she had seen them. The coffee cup suddenly slipped from her fingers, which went numb, and crashed into a million little shards.

 _He was the one, the one who beat up Ryuga, the one who saved her last night._


	6. Chapter 6

**REALIZATION**

Gingka and Madoka suddenly jerked their heads around while the lad seemed unfazed and stared absently at the floor as if nothing had happened.

"Ava? Is everything alright?" Madoka asked sympathetically as she patted Ava who stood frozen, pale.

Madoka's question brought her back to reality and she looked down at the brown liquid meandering its way around. Ava looked at Madoka and then back at the floor.

"I… uh… I…" Ava had no idea what to do. Outright embarrassed for throwing the cup her cheeks turned into a bright pink and her hands started to tremble.

"It's ok. Why don't you go get some rest?" Gingka recommended.

Looking down and not daring herself to meet the intense gawks, she hurried for her room. Reaching inside she locked the door and mentally scolded herself for being so shocked to see him. Lying down in bed, she tried to calm herself but could not get the extreme azure of his eyes out of her mind.

But, suddenly something changed. She no longer felt fear, or humiliation for her clumsiness she felt something else; determination, to confront the lad and thank him. This sudden change swept her off her feet as she made her way down the wooden stairs. Gingka and Madoka stood in the kitchen, chatting while Ava's eyes oscillated to and fro like a pendulum as she swiveled her head around searching for him. He had left.

"Madoka? Where is that green haired dude?" Ava asked as entered the kitchen.

"You mean Kyoya? He just left. Why d-"

Madoka hardly finished her sentence that the black haired juvenile ran out the doors. She had to thank him; he risked his life for her. Considering herself as an idiot for not grasping the opportunity before, she kept pacing back and forth out on the street trying to figure where the lad had gone off to but luck did not seem to favor her today. Sighing, she came back inside.

"Gingka, do you have any idea where the gre- I mean Kyoya went?"

"Umm… I don't know. He just came for his bey and he is not one of those 'sharing' types so no idea."

"Why? What happened?" Madoka asked curiously as she cocked her left eyebrow. At that very moment Ava realized how peculiar her behavior might seem. She had broken a tea cup, ran up to her room then rushed down after a guy she saw for the 'first' time.

"Uh… I… I, uh, thought I had seen him somewhere. Yeah…" Ava countered.

Madoka smiled as she handed her another cup of coffee. Sipping the coffee, she sat down at the couch with her companions sitting across her. An eerie silence encompassed the living room which made Ava feel more nervous for her odd behavior.

"Well, if you want to meet Kyoya, you can."

Glancing up from her cup, Ava desperately tried to hide the unexpected glee and fervor regarding Kyoya that took hold of her as she asked trying to maintain a steady tone, "How?"

"Well at the party for Zeo tonight. You can meet Kyoya… that is if he comes." Madoka explained with a sly smile to which Ava just nodded. _It was perfect._

"But wait, tonight?" Gingka asked.

"Yeah I already told Masamune, Tsubasa and the others. By the way I also invited Da Xiang and Chao Xin because well, it kinda seemed rude not to. And, yeah I hope you don't mind…" Madoka looked at Gingka gleefully "Aleksei said he was in town so I also asked him to join us."

At Madoka's last sentence Gingka's smile faded into something of a jaw drop as Madoka took the cups from the two and went to the kitchen.

"Who's Aleksei? Huh?" Ava got up and sat next to Gingka and nudged him as she smiled cunningly.

"Just a guy from Russia…"

"Hmm… so why are you so offended? He Madoka's ex or something?"

"IM NOT OFFENDED!" Gingka countered as he turned his head away like little annoyed kid would.

"So he is her-"

"NO! Of course not! It's just he's totally brains and she seems quite 'impressed'." Gingka pouted.

"Aww… So you are jealous?"

Getting up, Gingka shot a look at Ava displaying his discomfort with where the conversation was heading as he made his to kitchen but Ava just grinned. Teasing Gingka was just too fun.

The evening arrived all too soon and Ava stood in front of the mirror, her virtual grey orbs staring at her. She wore a midnight blue dress and her hair was let loose. Apart from the pink lip gloss she avoided any makeup. Stepping into her heels she went downstairs.

"I'd take off yours if you take off mine" Gingka sang.

"Reveal the things that we're tryna hide! Take off yours if you take off mine" Madoka continued

"Take off mine!" Gingka repeated.

Masamune and Zeo looked awkwardly at Gingka and Madoka as they sang. _TAKE OFF? WHAT WERE THEY SINGING ABOUT?_

"They are singin' about takin' off war paint, Perverts!" Ava explained letting out a chortle, as she sat between the two. As if both of them were suddenly jerked out of some daze they looked at her, then smiled sheepishly and muttered an 'Oh' as if they were enlightened of a deep universal truth which they failed to recognize before.

Various colored balloons hung at the walls. Everyone had arrived and was busy having fun. Hikaru stood beside the sound system as she played different beats, while Hyoma, Tsubasa and Toby were at the table, chatting as Yu kept pacing back and forth slightly pulling Tsubasa's shirt. Chao Xin and Da Xiang, along with Aleksei and Lera sat on the couch opposite to Masamune, Ava and Zeo.

* * *

 _Damn these parties._

Million of excuses, valid and strong ran through his mind. Reason, the ability to scrutinize, to analyze was something that he felt, had abandoned him. Pulling up his black leather jacket, he grabbed his keys and jumped into the white sedan. Sighing repeatedly, he kept trying to reason with himself, to convince his foolish mind not to go there but her thought compelled him. The light breeze kissing his cheeks made him shiver. Drop by drop, rain poured covering the glass windscreen, blurring his vision; another reason why he should have stayed back home.

Standing outside the door, he urged himself not to knock. The wild stormy wind changed direction blowing to his right, not that he minded it however, ironically the strong chilly winds made him feel better as they numbed his body but somehow it felt that their hissing kept warning him, however nothing seemed to change his mind. All these omens became oblivious to him and he rang the bell.

"Hey-"Ava stopped and stared at the drenched teen staring back at her.

"Can I come in?" Kyoya asked.

"Yes sure." Ava opened the door welcoming him but as he moved past her she grabbed his arm. "uh, Kyoya I need to talk to you"

Turning around the green haired lad, cocked his eyebrow. "What?"

"Dude, not here!"

"Then?"

Ava entered the room at their right and groaning, Kyoya followed.

"What?" The lad inquired as he gaped at the black haired teen.

"I just, uh… wanted to thank you for saving me that night."

As if she had cracked a joke, the lad started laughing hysterically. Confused, Ava furrowed her brows and just stared at Kyoya, somewhat wanting an explanation for his behavior but he continued to laugh. After a while, utterly annoyed Ava blurted out, "What's so funny?!"

"Nothing", Kyoya just smirked which riled up Ava more.

"No seriously, what?"

"Nothing, love."

"Excuse me! But I am obviously blind to the joke here!" She was thanking him and he started laughing at her?! _ABSURD!_

Kyoya stood up and approached her, almost towering her. Narrowing her eyes, she shrugged.

"Save? You think _I_ _saved you_?"

His question left Ava speechless, she did not how to answer him. He did save her. Didn't helping her get away from the cruel and merciless clutches of his comrade mean that he 'saved' _her_? But for some reason blurting a 'yes' appeared to be the most unwise decision.

"If you didn't- then what _did_ you do? Huh? You did help me, why?" Ava inquired. _Yes, questioning back seemed to be the best option_.

Letting out a chuckle, Kyoya answered, "All you girls think you are all that. Stupid and reckless are what you are." His voice grew angrier as each word escaped his lips.

"Excuse me?!"

"You think I helped you get away because I felt it was morally the _right_ thing to do and I'm some sort of savior and maybe I just felt a little protective over how Ryuga treated you, then you just hit your friggin' head!" He mocked.

"I never sa-"

"Oh please! Spare me the lecture over how I'm wrong. I've been in this hell of a place long enough to understand what's goin' on in that brain of yours. You girls need some fuckin' reason to feel that your life is of a princess finding their stupid prince charming."

"For. Your. Kind. Information. I just wanted to thank you; this whole damn scenario that your 'great' mind has come up with is total bullshit. You think I'm so stupid that I'd fall for a guy I just met! Think you're so special! Well sorry to break your stupid bubble, but you aren't! You don't want a thanks I'm more than happy to take it back!" She stormed out the room, stomping.

Satirically, his words actually hurt her; she had expected him to be poles apart from the person she was confronting. His mocking attitude slapped her in the face and kept reminding her that he was no better than Ryuga. Frankly she imagined this to go way differently than this, she did not how, but not like _this_. _But why should I care?_ Reaching the kitchen, she gulped down some water and joined Toby.

"Ava? Who was at the door?" Madoka asked.

"Uh-"

"I was..." Kyoya replied entering the living room. Everyone swiveled their heads to get a better look at him.

"Kyoya, you look drenched, come on, I'll get you some dry clothes." Madoka motioned for him to follow but running a hand through his damp green hair, Kyoya just stared at Madoka, lost in thought.

"Earth to Kyoya!" Masamune waved a hand infront of him.

"Uh- I think I'll leave…"

"Dude, you just came! There are spare clothes upst-" Gingka tried to convince him.

"No, I…"

Ava looking at him felt an unconditional familiarity, the way he chose his words, the pauses, and the sudden urge to leave. It became clearer as she traced his blue orbs' gaze. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the ground making out what had been so lucid. The pain, want for things to change, the anger and agony, all of it was reflected in his eyes. He kept staring at the hand encircling Madoka, at how it held her. Ava sighed as she looked at Kyoya sympathetically. She knew exactly what he felt.

 _The same throbbing pain she felt when she came to know she had lost Zeo._

 **A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and DJ I hope you are happy that I didn't pair up Kyoya n Ava… xD n yea i didn't proof read this so sorry if there are any mistakes :P  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**UNDENIABLE PAIN**

"Come on, kyoya, stay." Madoka urged for him hang about a little longer. Looking at her, he sighed, heart aching as if a sharp knife impaled him.

Separation, the word mocked him; distancing himself from her seemed impossible; at least thornier than anything he had ever gone through. Her heartwarming smile melted away the cold and numbness his body had been subjected to and no matter how much he tried, his body refused to deny her. He wanted to stay, close not far. Trying desperately to suppress a smile that was forcefully crawling up to his lips as the brunette begged for him to stay, he nodded. No matter how bizarre it seemed the lad actually felt contented that _she_ did not want him to leave.

"Great! C'mon I'll get you some clothes."

Following her up to the stairs, Kyoya gaped at her as she light heartedly scolded him for thinking of leaving when he had just arrived. As she entered the room, he leaned against the wall, gazing at the light brown strands that fell down her shoulders and how her oceanic blue orbs searched through the cupboard. Suddenly she looked at him and then at a red hoodie she held. Shaking her head she muttered something under her breath and continued to run through the items lying in the wooden compartment.

Smirking he looked away at the bedside table where a picture frame caught his attention. Madoka was wearing a black skirt and a loose white top; a beam lighted up her face as Gingka wrapped his arms around her.

Once again, he thought about his goddamn fate that kept scornfully reminding him she was never his to keep.

"Hey!" Kyoya furrowed his eyebrows as he got hold of the shirt she had just thrown at him.

"Get dressed! And hurry downstairs…" She ordered gleefully as she skipped out the room.

Slipping on the black shirt, he casually went downstairs and sat at the nearest sofa.

"We are young!" Hikaru screamed out.

"We are strong!" Gingka sang, holding his arms up.

"We not lookin' for where we belong!" Masamune and Zeo grinned, highfiving.

"We're not cool!" Yu and Kenta slightly tugged at the collars of their shirts

"We are free!" Hyoma smiled.

All eyes gawked at Kyoya as he shrugged not quite grasping the idea of what was going on.

"What? I ain't singing some stupid song!" Kyoya grunted.

"We're running with blood on our knees…" Tsubasa completed the song's lyrics.

"As expected! Yoyo never sings!" Yu sighed.

Another bloody reason he should have stayed back. Groaning, he got up and made his way to the kitchen. Understanding this lot would take him a lot of time because his idea of having fun and their point of view differed to a huge extent. But listing the reasons would not help him now would it? He had decided to stay.

"Guys, PIZZA'S here!" Kenta ran in with three boxes.

Well you know what happened next.

The boxes lay on the table being gawked by three pairs of eyes, all narrowed. With the rodeo song playing, the three lads took out their weapons. The redhead with his ketchup bottle flipping it up and down, grinned thinking of the savory taste of the mushroom and olives; _he was ready to get it no matter what_. Whereas the green hoodied lad picked up his fork ninja-fying it here and there clearing displaying his thoughts out loud 'You two are going down'. While the dark skinned teen just smirked he did not need anybody, he was going to get the mega slice with just the help of his two best friends, his fists!

Advancing the three lads almost jumped at the boxes that a petite brunette stood in front of them, and held out a hand. Skidding, the three came to a halt.

"It's just a pizza. Eat it LIKE HUMAN BEINGS NOT ANIMALS!"

Smiling sheepishly, they all looked pleadingly at Madoka who pointed at the sofa instructing through her glaring blue orbs for them to sit back. While, Yu casually reached for the box and picked up the largest slice and waving it slightly started munching on it. Jaws dropped, Masamune, King and Gingka stared at Yu as he grinned on his easy victory. _DAMN THAT LITTLE BRAT!_

Enjoying the meaty and melting cheese topped delight; the gang sat and talked about everything and nothing in particular.

* * *

"What happened?" Madoka asked Zeo who sat his arms folded, glaring at the dancing couple.

"To hell with my memory but his hands around Ava's waist is seriously pissing me off!"

Grinning, Madoka aw-ed "I'll help." She got up and approached Aleksei and Ava while Zeo watched her, perplexed. The next thing you know, Madoka is apologizing repeatedly and Ava just stands keeping her distance, agape.

"It's okay, Madoka." Aleksei stated brushing off his shirt as the drink spread all over, staining his shirt purple.

"No, c'mon I'll show you the way to the bathroom. You need to get that cleaned up."

Leading him to the right, Madoka winked at Zeo and motioned for him to go to Ava.

Smiling, Zeo made his way to the grey eyed juvenile. _Madoka was the most unpredictable of sorts._

Proudly, looking at the couple Madoka sat along Gingka. Actually, she almost sat that Aleksei grabbed her arm.

"You lost me my partner miss so you owe me a dance." He offered a hand which Madoka gladly took.

Jaw dropped, Gingka creased his eyebrows. _What just happened?_

After a while, Masamune jumped right next to him. Smiling slyly, he offered Gingka some chips, who shooed his hand away absently, still taken aback by the recent turn of events.

"Hahaha, he took your bae!" Masamune teased.

"Shut up!" Gingka got up and pulled Madoka from her waist, _away from Aleksei_. "A spilled drink only amounts to just this much time."

"Gingka…"

"What?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Madoka giggled as he pulled her closer, while Aleksei went off scoffing. Dancing slowly to the song, Gingka leaned in closer, his lips crashing onto hers. Her mind stopped. _Damn it, stupid euphoria_. Without thinking, she leisurely let her hands trace up to his hair and stroking them as their lips moved rhythmically. Tugging at the bottom of her shirt, he slid his hand under it, earning a moan from the brunette.

Air, she wanted air or did she? Pulling away was harder than it seemed. No she _needed_ air, so she broke their lips apart by moving back.

Inhaling to make up for the oxygen loss, she realized that hoots howls surrounded them. Masamune leaned against the door, whistling Whistle's whistle, causing blood to rush to her cheeks while Hikaru just winked and complemented "Great make out!"

Both their cheeks turned to a bright red, while their friends teased and hooted some more.

* * *

He had enough this, there was no denying this. Try? _Try_ was all he did, to let go, to forget, to just- stay away. But who was he kidding? Clenching his fists he rushed out in the thundering rain. Man it was raining cats and dogs. Lips taut he just walked, the raindrops hitting him repeatedly. The furious winds, the pouring rain, the _cold_ always calmed him, but not today.

Splash! Splash! His feet soaked up the rainwater. Sighing, he tried to settle down the turmoil of emotions burning inside of him however, with each step, with each _splash_ his body ached more, his heart shattered into shards, his mind went numb. He succumbed to the pain as it clawed him, broke him, bruised him as harshly and mercilessly as it could.

Pulling out his Leone, he held it out. He needed to compose himself and not even Leone's sight helped him feel better. Not even Leone? Water seeping through his shirt when hit his skin, a shudder ran down his spine. Cold and loneliness, that's what he felt. Cataclysm rained down on him as his insides cried to be saved; he was drowning down into a deep abyss that held nothing but darkness, robbing him of any hold of his senses anymore. Each second, each minute, each time his feet met the ground and then rose up again, each thought, everything strangled him beyond extent and he was impossibly alone.

Weak; for the first time he felt vulnerable and helpless. She was never going to be his. _Never_.

"You should tell her…"

...

"You know, tell her before it's too late."

Stopping in his steps Kyoya looked back at Ava, and smiled halfheartedly.

"It's already too late."

* * *

 **Masamune: Whistle Whistle's whistle? Seriously dude?**

 **Me: Hehehe! *scratches head* I'm punny? (-^.^-) Anyways I hope you liked it, R &R peeps… xD** **And oh a special thanks to all peeps who reviewed or just viewed or whatever… Sowwy a little high on sugar… x'D**

 **Masamune: Little? Yeah right!**


	8. Chapter 8

**DECISIONS**

Walking he just kept walking, never looking back to see if Ava ever followed or not. The roads were empty, intensifying the pain, the loneliness. He wanted her, _needed_ her… A void, an empty hole took hold of him and something made him believe that he had lost his life's purpose.

 _Meaningless,_ everything without her seemed meaningless.

His heart was tired of getting hurt, of being wounded again and again. Each day, each night. The damage, the injuries were becoming too much to bear. No matter how much he tried, no matter how much; his mind kept playing it like a nightmare over and over again; she was in his arms, their lips interlocked and her happiness was with the redhead _not with him_ , and by hook or by crook he would never come to terms with that. NEVER…

Anger started to boil the very blood rushing through his veins. His fate was what riled him up most, always against the possibility of _them being together,_ against his wishes, against _him_. Walking while fists still clenched, he gritted his teeth and made way for the towering wooden warehouses. Taking out his Leone, he launched it with all his might.

"GO, LEONE!"

Destroying everything that came its way, the bey advanced ahead. A surge of energy and rage filled the atmosphere, almost frightening. Kyoya could feel losing control, losing his grasp over himself, his emotions, his power, over Leone. The hastening wind surrounded him like a hurricane determined to blow him off his feet but he did not even flinch; his body numb and senseless. Channeling all the buildup frustration and hatred out through Leone as the warehouse wailed and creaked, he attempted to consol his dying soul as he struggled to rid himself of the agonizing and throbbing pang of vulnerability that tortured him each second of his miserable life.

Suddenly Leone got knocked over and the whirling winds came to a sudden halt while Kyoya watched as the white haired teen caught his bey.

"Why are you here, Ryuga?"

"It's fun to see you beat yourself up over a pathetic girl."

"Call her pathetic again and you won't wake up in one piece next mornin'!"

Laughing Ryuga entered the warehouse, and advanced towards the green haired lad.

"You are FEEBLE AND WRETCHED, beating yourself over a GIRL! I mean look at you, you can't even battle alright, L-Drago knocked your bey's ass in a second! YOU ARE WEAK!" Ryuga scornfully mocked.

"I'm _not_ weak!" Though his thoughts begged to differ, his body did feel exposed and helpless.

"When was the last time you trained?" Ryuga asked ignoring Kyoya's last statement.

"I don't know-"

"OFCOURSE YOU DON'T, YOU CAN'T GET YOUR FUCKING MIND OFF THAT LITTLE BITCH!"

 _Enough is enough!_

Kyoya smashed Ryuga's left cheek with his balled fists and watched as the white haired teen's head snapped to the side, blood spraying from his mouth. He turned around that Ryuga jumped over him and before he could comprehend what was happening, Ryuga's legs wrapped around his torso, pinning Kyoya's arms with his knee. Kyoya squirmed to get loose as Ryuga rained down blows with his fists, punching Kyoya's unprotected face over and over. Blistering pain and then the surge of adrenaline rushed through his veins. Ryuga was about slam his fists into Kyoya's crimson covered face that green haired lad arched his body violently, throwing him off.

Both the lads looked at the other in dismay, panting, as they covered their bleeding faces with their hands.

"YOU BASTARD YOU BROKE MY NOSE!"

"Talk trash about her again and I'm gonna break your legs too!"

"You don't know when to quit, do you?! Does she love you? DOES SHE?!"

…

"You fucking idiot! Getting riled up over just the mention of her! She's your bloody weakness! GET RID OF IT!"

Kyoya looked at his rival and friend, and some part of him believed him. She _was_ his weakness and he needed to end this. Sighing, he turned the other way because he knew there was no hiding from it; she was an infatuation, an addiction, the chink in his armor. Everything about her was extremely intoxicating.

Exhaling noisily, Ryuga sneeringly stated, "The next time I see you, I don't want you to be jumping like a crappy dog at the mention of her name!"

"I can't…"

"What do u mean u can't?!"

"No matter how many times you mock me, fucking hit me or whatever, I can't! I… just can't…"

"What has gotten into you?"

He started walking once again, away from everything…

Creasing his eyebrows, Ryuga gasped hardly believing what he saw and heard.

"Do you _actually_ love her? And even if you do, does it make you think _she_ loves you?!" Ryuga laughed in a ridiculing tone.

Not swiveling around to meet his comrade's blazing eyes because he knew he would be staring at him, highly amused by _everything_ , and maybe even cursing him under his breath, but Kyoya did not care.

' _Does it make you think she loves you?'_

It never did…

The phrase haunted his mind, because acceptance to something so patent was breaking him, crushing him slowly, tormenting him for each breath he took in and exhaled out. Lying made him go on, waking up and deceiving his mind into thinking that today will be better. A series of mendacious lies was what placated his careworn soul giving him false hope that maybe today she- she would be _his_.

Again on the asphalt road he walked, the blood yet dripping from his nose however, he did not bother to wipe it off. The conspicuous red of the liquid when hit the ground it could be spotted easily. His blood stood out from the tarmac of the road and for a moment he just kept gazing down and then he looked up.

And he saw her.

She stared at him, eyes wide open and then she started running. Confused the lad gaped at her. She ran in his direction. Towards him. And in no time she was at his footsteps and was lifting her feet, standing on her toes to reach up to his level as she held his face in her hands.

Reality or not? He could not decipher it. He just stood there as her compassionate eyes took him from head to toe and he just smiled. The mere sight of the brunette comforted him. The havoc that had consumed him earlier seemed to drift away.

"Kyoya? What did you do your face? You're bleeding and are bruised. Did you get into a fight?"

Speechless he stood there constantly fighting the urge to hold her and keep her with him forever.

"Kyoya?"

Still in a daze his mind kept spinning, he could not move. Her touch was drugging him, dizziness and pure ecstasy had embraced him making it harder for him to breathe.

"Kyoya?"

Though she was just two feet from him her voice felt distant as if miles away. Hope sparked within him, for a second after everything, when she mouthed his name he believed that she could be his. _His and his only._

The azure of her eyes hurled him away from the truth, the veracity and clouded his judgment blinding him from the reality. She reached for a white cloth and wiped off the blood that trickled down his nose. Everything thing froze and then she moved away still smiling, beautiful as ever. He held onto the cloth, still gazing at her, the light fell on her hair making different shades of brown evident. Her pink lips moved, she kept saying something but Kyoya could not focus on what she was saying, his eyes still locked on her lips the way they moved so delicately, so subtle that he just wanted to be consumed by her fragility.

But his fate, his goddamn fate always kicked in to shatter everything dear to him because soon he saw the redhead approach them and he was brutally jerked back to reality. She was so far…

"What happened Kyoya?"

Kyoya despised him, his voice made him gag. He just wanted to-

The redhead was pulling Madoka to himself away from him. Away…

His eyes searched Kyoya as if trying to read him. To try and get inside his head of what he was thinking but Kyoya just stood there watching him.

His thoughts were burning, flaming furiously. If it had a color, blood like red would be spilling out of his thoughts. She was his and his only.

Madoka smiled as Gingka wrapped his arms around her from behind her and suddenly Kyoya thought of the black picture frame that lay beside the wooden bed, Madoka's bed. How the redhead always wrapped his arms around her as if trying to show him, _show him_ that he could not never acquire her. Then the images started flooding in of how he pulled her close and kissed her. Fury and anguish grasped the lad as he glared at the redhead who smiled at him his eyes still trying penetrate through his cloak of lies and false hope and fake acquaintance. And that's where he decided…

If he could not have her, neither will Gingka.


	9. Chapter 9

**Apart**

"Then end this…" The white haired teen stated.

Sitting at the wooden box, his blue eyes locked at the shining silver of the blade as it glistened in the dim moonlight; the brown handle was grasped by his hands tightly as if it was a dear asset that each muscle in his body refused to let go off. He saw his reflection, his scars on his tan skin, and the cerulean of his eyes staring back at him. Heaving a sigh, he looked at Ryuga and then back at the blade. A thousand possibilities ran through his mind as he thought of feasibility of what was to about occur. Her tears had soaked his shirt and knowing that this was the only way he could not back away now.

* * *

"I need Leo-"

Midway he stopped as she looked around smiling. Her beauty always drowned him into a river of ecstasy, taking him to the seventh heaven. Everything about her left him speechless and once again he felt that undying _want_ to be consumed by her subtlety.

"Leone's done" Madoka replied as she cleaned her cookie batter covered hands with a hand wipe.

Pursing her lips, she made way for her station and took out his bey from the lower drawer. Turning around, she held out her arm giving Kyoya his Leone, however, he stood there motionless gazing at her wearing the most worried of expressions. Before she could comprehend what had happened, he approached her, closing in uncomfortably close.

Kyoya slightly pushed past her hair that draped her neck, causing Madoka's heart to skip a beat.

"Who did this to you?"

Confused, Madoka rotated to her head to get a better look at her exposed skin. A gruesome purplish black bruise lay there. Suddenly, she pulled up her over sized shirt over her shoulder hiding ghastly mark.

"Uh- It… I hit my shoulder against the-" She tried to stop her voice from becoming hoarse but could not as each word left her mouth went drier and her throat felt as it were knotted up.

Pulling her chin up, he asked her once again resulting in her eyes filling with tears that started to drip down her cheeks.

"Tell me who was it? Who did this to you?" His voice cracking, Kyoya took her hand into his and saw a similar horrible bruise on her arm which vexed him more as he asked again, his tone demanding.

Clutching Kyoya's shirt the brunette wailed, tears gushing out her eyes. "We had a fight, I-I know he didn't mean to b-but Gingka wa-"

"Gingka?! He did this?" Moving her away as he gripped her arms lightly, Kyoya was astonished by the mention of the redhead.

Biting her lower lip, Madoka tried to hold the river of tears that threatened to flood her eyes again. But failed as Kyoya held her in his arms caressing her hair and she sobbed her heart out.

* * *

"This isn't the way, Kyoya." Demure commented.

"Let him do whatever he wants. His head has already rusted away to a big fat pile of _nothing_." Nile disdainfully replied.

"But this isn't _right_! Violence is not the key-"

"You think he doesn't know?! He isn't a little kid that needs guidance to cross the road, and if he wants to do it, he _will_. So you two better shut your damn holes!" Ryuga stood up and left.

"He said it and you agreed?! You can't think straight… Acting like an idiot! You think this is a stroll in the park, THAT YOU CAN JUST KILL HIM?!"

Bellowing at the green haired lad, Nile tried to convince him of retreating back from the vicious and heinous act that he was going to commit, but everything was in vain because the lad did not even move just absently kept staring at the weapon he held. Ryuga, acting like the devil's advocate he was, had led Kyoya on the road of hostility and brutality by suggesting that a murder would rid him of this pain and not thinking lucidly Kyoya agreed. Nile could not believe the ludicrousness of it, Kyoya was actually considering killing Gingka just because he had harmed her. _Where were his senses?_

A bloody curse is what love is. Like deadly venom that slowly torments its victim it takes away a person's ability to scrutinize between what's right and wrong. Making the host suffer at each step it slowly drives him mad.

"Have u seen his condition? Look at him! You beat him up so much that he would die anyway... Why bother?" Nile grunted.

"He deserves it…"

"WHY? Relationships are a series a part of ups and downs, that doesn't mean you kill him!"

"SHE HAD BRUISES ON HER ARMS, ON HER NECK! HE'S GONNA PAY!"

Rage and fury radiated off Kyoya as he clenched Nile's collar; his hold tighter than ever on the blade.

Nile could see the madness seeping into Kyoya's mind, poisoning it, clear as day. He could not think of anything else but of committing an act, the _real_ Kyoya would never consider. Their eyes met for a brief second and all Nile saw was a blood thirst consuming the lad, causing his own body to shudder. _He wasn't turning back_.

"Just keep this in mind after you do this, will she accept you, a murderer?" He pushed Kyoya off him.

Nile had said all that needed to be, and with that last sentence he left, his hands in his pockets, leaving the decision to Kyoya as Demure followed. If he had any sanity left he would back away, if not there was nothing he could do.

Forgiveness was something Kyoya's mind went oblivious to. _He dare harm her?_ Just the thought of it exasperated him beyond extent. Getting up, Kyoya made way to where Gingka writhed.

He lunged at Gingka punching him wrathfully with his balled fists. A moan escaped the redhead's lips as he tried to lift his swollen and badly bruised face to get a better look at the green haired lad. Hands tied to the back of a pole, his head slumped as he spat blood only to get battered again.

"How can you even think of even hurting her?! She loves _you_ AND THIS WHAT YOU DO?"

He punched him mercilessly again and again and again until his knuckles dripped from the crimson liquid. Breathing heavily he moved back and kicked him in the stomach causing the redhead to whimper as he spat some more blood on the ground, staining it a red bright cherry red.

Loosening the ropes that held him against the pole caused the Gingka to crash down, drained of any energy he laid there gasping for air. While Kyoya, who was driven mad by just the sight of the redhead, lifted the silver metal blade and stood on top of Gingka as he gawked at the perilous object, not struggling, not even trying to escape what was only seconds away.

 _Or maybe he could not_.

Kyoya lifted his arm and made his way down only stopping, with the blade merely an inch away from gashing his neck. The golden brown eyes pleaded for mercy…

' _Will she accept you, a murderer?'_

Nile's words echoed in his mind as he moved back. He dropped the knife, clanging as it hit the floor and made his way out. Breathing in and out as he held his knees and slouched desperately trying to calm his nerves, he could never do it. Taking a life was never his objective. No matter how much he despised him, how much he wanted to, he just could not. Looking up, he saw Nile grimacing.

"I can't…"

"Let him go… You have done enough damage…"

Sighing Kyoya replied. "Ask Demure to take him to the hospital."

* * *

Muffled voices constantly murmuring. Various orbs staring at him. Bright white lights. Blackout…

"Gingka?"

So distant… So far…

"Gingka, please…"

So far…

* * *

His eyes shot open. Gasping for air, memories flooded his mind. He was dressed in a white robe, on a stretcher. No… on a bed, in a ward. Breathing in and out as he swiveled his head around, he saw her lying her head down on the brown wooden side table. So peaceful, so innocent.

Her green tank top failed to hide the black contusion on her arms which sent a prickling surge of pain down his body. He earned the beating, he did. After all that he had done, she was here beside him, not ever leaving his side. Kyoya was right, she deserved better…

Some part of him wanted to run away from what he did. The shame and regret cut deep into his flesh leading him to loathe the monster he had become. Tears lined his eyes as his body ached, revulsion and disgust for his actions that marred her, for the pain he caused her made him shiver. _How could she love him?_

His gaze seemed to wake her up because the next thing he knew was that her arms encompassed him, grabbing him as tightly as it allowed them to, maybe even more. The brunette sobbed, repeatedly crying out his name. Her hold was so strong that her collarbone began to crush his nose, yet he did not move, just enveloped his arms around her, drowning into her scent.

Flowers.

She smelt like the purest of flowers swaying in the breeze out in the lush green fields as his lips brushed against her skin. He had set fire to the tranquility that kept him sane. He had no right over her.

The intoxicating smell numbed his senses. Ashamed at his act, his eyes let out his burden.

"I- I'm so so sorry… Please forgive me, Madoka… Forgive me, please." he pleaded.

Sniffing, she cupped his face.

"Gingka…"

"I did this to you. I did this to me. To _us_."

"No… No you didn't. Gingka you didn't."

Shaking her head, Madoka sat on the bed and brushed his bruised lips with her thumb. He kept staring at her. He could see the pain reflecting in her orbs but more than ever he _knew_ that he did not deserve her. Believe was what shattered him there and then.

* * *

 **Uh… so yeah before anyone kills me, I know I know Gingka would never harm anyone. I mean Gingka can't even kill a fly so 'bruising' Madoka is well beyond him… And even if he tried well he would get a strict beating from me. But I wanted to write this so yeahhh… *scratches head* (^.^** )


	10. Chapter 10

**DEPARTURE**

"GINGKA!"

Breathing heavily, the brunette's heart thumped as if trying to break through her ribs. She clutched the green sheets and gulped. Like every day since the past month, she glanced to her right to find the bed empty. Pursing her lips she scooted over and got off the bed slipping into her slippers. Running her hands through her hair, she made way to the bathroom. After stripping off her clothes she let the hot water soothe her nerves by cleansing the frustration and gloom haunting her. The bruise on her arm had almost faded to a light purple. Purple. _Shit!_

Almost slipping on the bathroom floor as she hurried outside, Madoka wrapped the towel around her petite frame and ran to Ava's room.

"Ava?"

Knocking at her door, Madoka called out once again. "Avaaa?"

TING TONG!

Bell. Constantly murmuring, Madoka hastily reached for the door to find Zeo and Masamune. Zeo held his bags and smiled. While Masamune peeked from behind and gasped. "Dude, you ran outta clothes or something?"

Blushing furiously, Madoka looked down at herself and realized that she was not wearing anything except the white towel and without thinking she ran back up to her room. While the two lads laughing entered.

After a minute or two, Madoka came down tying her wet brown locks into a bun.

"Ava isn't opening the door. Maybe she's asl-"

Masamune held a yellow sticky note, and waved it slightly at her face. Grasping it, Madoka took a better look at it. _'Madoka, I'm going down to the shops for some supplies actually to get something junky to eat along the way. Zeo gets a little cranky if you don't have 'eating supplies'. I'll be back in a jiffy.'_

"Well, that explains it."

Masamune smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets and jumped on the couch. "She stuck it on the fridge by the way."

"Oh…" She replied still looking at the note.

"So?" Masamune cocked his head slightly.

"So, what?" Madoka asked genuinely unsure of what the teen was pointing towards.

"Did Gin-"

"Masamune!" Zeo shushed Masamune by giving him a long stern look. Raising his arms up in surrender Masamune shrugged.

"No…" Madoka answered.

Both the lads turned to look at Madoka, silent and a little shocked. They did not expect her to answer but she did.

"Oh… Madoka, he just needs sometime, you know." Zeo was the first to speak breaking the awkward silence to which Madoka just nodded, still staring at the note.

"I'M BAAAACK!" Ava voiced as she ran in with some shopping bags and then stopped as she saw the three. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing…" Masamune replied and then approached her, snatching the bags and digging through the contents. Suddenly his eyes sparkled at the sight of the container and he took it out, not caring of the goofy grin plastered on his face. Nodding, he held out his hand to give the rest of the bags to Ava and exclaimed, "Pringles! Just what I needed. Here you can have the rest. I found the love of my life."

Ava took the bags from him, annoyed at being 'Pringle robbed'.

"Ava? We'll get late. Where are your bags?" Zeo asked.

"Uh… Upstairs. I'll go get 'em." As she went to her room she shot a look at Masamune, glaring at him with narrowed eyes who in return grinned gobbling up the crisps.

Returning with the heavy purple suitcase, Ava practically dragged it down the stairs. Zeo moved to lend her a hand and easily grasping it took it outside with Ava behind him, protesting constantly to hand him it back because she could at least handle a bag. Masamune stepped to follow them that he turned around as if he forgot something. "You coming?"

"Uh… I thi-"

But before she could finish Masamune had grabbed her hand and was leading her outside. "Oh c'mon! They are leaving, the least we can do is drop 'em off."

Sighing, Madoka walked past him and entered the car. He was right.

After settling in, they all headed for the airport. Along the way, Madoka gazed out the window at the cars passing by. To pass time or to keep Gingka off her mind, she did not know but it seemed to lighten up her mood.

It had been a month since 'Gingka's accident' and well after apologizing repeatedly almost a hundred times the redhead decided to take some time away. She resented the thought of him wanting to stay away, but he kept regretting what he did and said that she _deserved_ some time alone, away from him. It was surely painful to think that they had to be apart but Madoka had accepted his decision. _It could not be all bad could it? Just like a vacation._

Talking about vacation, Zeo and Ava were heading back to America as Ava's summer break had ended and that meant the Madoka was going to be lonelier than ever with Ava not around either. She did not know Ava for long but it actually hurt that she was finally leaving. After all, they had grown quite close over the past three months. Three months had passed since Zeo's horrendous mishap -only three- though it seemed like an eternity.

The car came to a halt. The airport, they were there. As they entered Yu came running, licking some icecream.

"Zeeeeooo!"

"Hey little guy."

"Woah! Who you calling little?"

"Yu!" Running, Tsubasa called out and suddenly discovered the reason why Yu had run squealing, to which he composed himself and straightened up. "Zeo. Ava." Then exhaling a heavy breath he greeted Madoka and Masamune, while Yu giggled.

"Let's gooooo, the others are waitiiiiing!" Yu grabbed Ava's hand and tried to drag her inside.

Entering inside, Nile, Benkei, Kyoya, Hikaru, Kenta and Demure greeted them. King and Hyoma who were sitting on the sofas also joined them. Madoka smiled as Kenta gave goodbye gifts to Zeo and Ava. Looking around, she spotted Gingka who had just arrived. _Late as usual_ , Madoka thought grinning as she waved at him. The moment he saw her, he smiled weakly and it faded with the same pace it came and Gingka walked past her to greet Zeo and Ava. Her heart felt as heavy as a rock and she turned around, trying her best to ignore the fact that Gingka looked right through her.

"Sorry I'm late. Had a hard time waking up early," Gingka explained scratching his head.

"Hahaha, it's the same everywhere, dude," Masamune agreed.

Soon the loudspeakers boomed with a hoarse voice, echoing off the white plastered walls instructing passengers to make way for different aisles as boarding was about to commence. This resulted in a sudden hustle and bustle, as passengers dragged their bags and suitcases bidding farewell to their loved ones. Some places tears streamed down cheeks while others were laughed and waved cheerfully, whereas some glanced up their watches clad in business suits and hurried down the corridors.

The gang moved towards aisle three accompanying Zeo and Ava, reminiscing the 'good ol' times'

"I know you all are going to miss me so bad." Zeo claimed.

"Hahaha, I'd be happy not to see your sorry ass eating off our brains. So missing you is definitely not an option," Kyoya replied, playful sarcasm heavily lining his words.

"Pfft. That's why you're here to say good bye? Shouldn't you be out celebrating or something?"

"Who says we aren't going to celebrate just after we step outside these halls?" Masamune grinned as he tilted his head to which Zeo simply groaned.

"Guys? C'mon!" Hikaru smiled slyly, "We all know they are just putting up an act so they don't all emotional…"

"Pffft! As if…" Masamune rolled his eyes while Kyoya shaking his head smirked.

Soon embracing both of them as Masamune still mocked on having to celebrate as Ava just nodded amused by his attitude, Madoka finally bid farewell to both her friends and they went off disappearing through the crowd of people into the hubbub of the airport while she stood her hands on her hips smiling, somewhat contended that Masamune had brought her. She would not want to miss this.

Kenta rocked back and forth, "So now what?"

"I really do plan to party…" Masamune raised both his arms, grinning.

"Masamune?" Madoka looked at him with an eyebrow cocked as she smiled

"What? I'm serious."

"Actually I'm totally in…" Gingka spoke up who had been quiet for some time now as he high-fived Masamune.

"Come to think of it a little fun won't hurt." Nile commented.

"True," Gingka agreed as the three made their way out.

Madoka just stood there as she sighed. Her heart kept sinking deeper into darkness, consuming it wholly. Gingka did not even- no there was not time to think of this. _We just need time. Time heals everything._ _Right?_

"Madoka?" The mention of her name jolted her train of thought sending it down, crumbling into a deep abyss as she turned around to meet Kyoya's concerned gaze.

"Yes?"

"You want to join them?"

"Uh… I think I'll head back. Got lots of work to do," Madoka forcibly pushed a fake smile on her lips trying to cover up the pain engulfing her.

"Oh… It's okay." Kyoya smiled; his smile so heartwarming and comforting that she wanted to fall head first into it. There was something about him that made her feel strong, something that made her feel safe. Some part of her wanted him to insist on coming, she needed to get her mind off of Gingka somehow but he stood there looking at her, the deep blue of his eyes penetrating through her skin but she did not want to look away. His eyes reflected off the light causing the oceanic blue of his eyes to glint. Something was so provoking and intoxicating about them that she did not realize that she had been gaping at him for quite some time now. After a while or so, Kyoya scratched his head and smirked feeling a little awkward by just standing there as both of them stared at the other, wordless. His sudden movement jerked her back to reality. Shaking her head to and fro, a little embarrassed over acting like that Madoka turned around.

"I'll drop you off."

"It's-"

"C'mon."

"Um- okay."

Madoka walked ahead keeping her distance still mentally scolding herself for just staring at him for so long as Kyoya followed. The light winter breeze brushed against her skin, causing it to tingle. Silence surrounded them like a heavy blanket, and Madoka seemed to be enjoying each second of it but nothing lasts forever as soon they reached the B-pit. Rummaging through her bag, Madoka pulled out her keys and unlocked the door.

"Come on inside."

"No. _Got lots of work to do."_ Kyoya replied smirking.

"Hahaha! Very funny..." She grinned.

It happened so suddenly that Madoka barely had time to register what was occurring. The wall felt cold against her back as Kyoya pressed his lips against hers. Utterly shocked, her body froze like a stone statue. A gasp escaped her lips and she found herself kissing him back as hungrily as he was. Every part of her conscience told her that this was wrong but she pushed all of it aside. She was on the brink of insanity and the desire of his warm and succulent lips blinded her. After a while he pulled away still looking down upon her, every muscle in her body aching, _wanting_ him but he took a step back and left. The moment had ended.

Her sight lingered on to his silhouette still hoping he would return but he did not. Sighing, she entered her bedroom as she laid down on he bed, her lips still tingling from the warmth of his lips. She did not pull away, just the thought of it caused guilt to course through her veins. But no matter how much she tried she came to same conclusion that she _could not_ pull away.


	11. Chapter 11

**THEFT**

Dragging his feet, Kyoya shoved his hands in his denim's pockets; his mind wandering to his recent act. A mischievous smile crept up on his lips as he harked back to the brunette's sudden shock and then subsequent surrender to his kiss.

"What are you going all bloody smile-y about?" Ryuga asked.

"Huh?" Kyoya jerked his head around to meet Ryuga lackluster eyes, "Nothing."

"Whatever." Ryuga swiveled his head. "You ready, yeah?"

"Yeah…"

"Follow the plan! Got it?"

"I don't need to be told twice!" Kyoya grunted.

"That's why I chose your crappy ass to do it," Ryuga spat.

Sighing, Kyoya studied the building. Five floors and his target was to reach the third. There were two guards standing on watch on either side of the entrance doors. Glancing at his watch, Kyoya waited anxiously. Change of shifts was at eight sharp and that means that he would have eleven minutes in total to get the job done. Not that it was hard for the lad to knock out the two but Ryuga insisted that the less attention he drew towards himself the better. As the guards made their way inside, Kyoya jumped through the window on the left side of the building (to avoid the camera, just above the entrance) leading him to the store. Unlocking the door from the forged key, Kyoya's eyes oscillated to and fro checking for safe passage.

Great! Just as I expected, Kyoya thought. Never knew Ryuga could be such a flatterer.

The receptionist grinned at Ryuga's comment. Ryuga tilted his head slightly indicating Kyoya to move on.

"You really think so?" The young blonde asked, her cheeks a bright red.

"Yeah sure," Ryuga replied absently rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes saying _gag me_ over and over again.

Smirking, Kyoya sneaked past them and ran to the staircase (the lift meant exposing himself to comparatively more people). He ran up the stairs, adrenaline fueling his body. When he spotted the sign displaying 'Third floor' he entered the hallway. Taking a left, his eyes became alert as they searched for the room. He grinned looking at the disabled security camera lodged at right corner of the hallway as he broke open the door by slamming his body against it.

He glanced at his watch again; seven minutes before the cameras start working and the new guards reach this floor. He walked through the room, slowly opened the locker at the corner and took out the file. The sight of bright red word typed on the envelope overwhelmed him with the feeling of painless victory.

Five minutes to get the hell out of here. An unfamiliar serenity lined his steps as he approached the window. Just below his escape was a narrow alley leading to the main street and then he just needed to blend in with the crowd. His escape window. _I can do this_. _Done it a million times just have to brace myself for the impact and- I'm not gonna die…_

Standing at the windowsill he gaped at the floor down. He could not be afraid. Being afraid was not his nature. Yeah, totally not his nature.

 _One_

 _Two_

"You know what-" Shock shook him brutally as Kyoya turned around. The guards! He looked at his watch; there were still three minutes left! _Shit!_ _Why the hell are they early?_ Judging from their voices they were just around the corner and were advancing right towards him. _They'll be here .Stop being a wuss and JUMP!_

He jumped. Gushing air embraced him as he made his way down. For a second or two he actually felt as if he flew. But the calming moment was quickly replaced with pain when he smashed against the ground. All the air was expelled from his lungs causing him to gasp as he rolled over. Groaning, he got up and took a fleeting look at the window. No guards. Then he slid a hand inside his jacket to check whether the text for which he risked his life was still there or not. _Phew!_

Sprinting through the alley he made his way for the street and waited for Ryuga. One minute. Two. Three… Seven? _Where the hell is he at?!_ When finally ten minutes passed without giving his plan or Ryuga's instructions a second thought he went over to the WBBA headquarters. The guards had already arrived and stood vigilantly at the gates. He moved up the stairs and inside the building. The young blonde was still seated at the mahogany brown desk but Ryuga was nowhere to be seen.

"Kyoya?"

Maintaining his casual self, he slowly turned to find a pair of sapphire orbs looking at him.

"Madoka…"

She smiled looking at the lad, as a bright red embraced her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" Madoka asked expectantly, her tone lacking any kind of suspicion.

"Uh- you know, just came to see… Hikaru," _Hikaru? FUCKING IDIOT!_ Kyoya mentally face palmed at his reply.

"Hikaru?" Madoka creased her eyebrows to which to he smirked or at least tried to. He could see that Madoka could look straight through his lie. _Why was it so hard to lie to her?!_

"Yeah… What are you doing here?"

"Uh… Gingka called me over. He said he wanted to talk or something."

She gazed down at the floor, pain reflecting in her eyes. Kyoya felt the sudden urge to pull her into an embrace but he restrained himself because a certain white haired teen caught his eye. As their eyes met, Ryuga glared at him clearly taken aback to see his partner in crime at the freaking scene of the crime when he should be as far as possible. Hikaru strolled alongside him as they approached them.

"Oh hey, Madoka and Kyoya," Hikaru exclaimed.

Madoka looked back to see a pair of bright eyes smiling at her. "Hello."

"Madoka. Kyoya," Ryuga nodded slowly, letting out the green haired lad's name sternly, "Now if you excuse me, I've got to leave." With that Ryuga left, running a hand through his hair. 

"What was he doing here?" Madoka asked.

"Uh- he just said he was in the neighborhood so wanted to drop by." Hikaru replied shrugging earning an approving nod from Madoka.

"So Kyoya, What brings you here?" Hikaru grinned.

"He came to see you." Madoka smiled, "I'll leave you two. I have to see Gingka."

"He'll be at the fourth floor."

"Thank you."

As Madoka left, Hikaru tilted her head and gave Kyoya questioning look.

"Uh… I think I'll leave. How about I drop by tomorrow?" Kyoya said absently gazing at Madoka as she entered the lift.

"Leave? When you just came? Nah! C'mon, I'll show you my new office."

Hikaru led him to the second floor and entered the room at the far end of the corridor. The room was quite spacious with a wooden desk opposite to the glass door. On the right a huge picture frame hung at the wall. Everyone was there. Madoka had insisted on taking that photo and everyone had gathered round the huge log of timber which was clearly a sorry excuse for a tree. She had said it was known for good luck. Masamune laughed so hard at the wooden 'good luck' charm that he started to choke and as King and Madoka tried to help, Yu came rushing in, pushing them aside causing Madoka to fall in Kyoya's arms and then suddenly _snap!_ The camera's light flashed and Hyoma peeped from behind the DSLR, grinning. Thinking about that day caused a smile to etch on Kyoya's face however, it was short lived. He was not to mingle around with anyone near Gingka. Ryuga was right he needed to focus. Just the thought made the parchment inside his jacket feel like a huge burden strapped to chest prohibiting him from any kind of movement. He needed to get the hell out of here before he got caught. As if on cue, a lad wearing a black guard uniform rushed inside.

"Ma'am, there was a break-in. The sixth room on the third floor had its lock broken and-"

Kyoya froze, as Hikaru jolted up from her seat and exclaimed before the guard could finish, "WHAT?!"

Hikaru hastily followed the guard as Kyoya stood there, rooted to his spot, trying to plot his next move. It was not a matter of time before they realize that only he and Ryuga were the two l **a** ds that came to the building without any apparent purpose and if he left now during the commotion (no matter how tempting it was) he would only draw more suspicion towards himself so he decided to do what any normal person would do. _Let's go to the third floor out of curiosity, to see what all the fuss was about._

Kyoya reached the third floor and went down the very familiar hallway to the sixth room. As the door came into sight he spotted two redheads, Ryo and Gingka. Madoka was clutching Gingka's jacket and sobbing as he caressed her hair a tear stream rolling down his cheeks. Ryo was barking orders demanding for the guards to hurry. Hikaru crouched down, her body shivering as her lips quivered and mouthed the word 'No' over and over again. Genuinely confused, Kyoya pushed past the guards blocking his way and reached forward to see what was going on.

Crimson stained the marbled floor. A lad laid there, his white pastel colored hair soaked in blood causing them to attain an auburn shade. The dark thick liquid meandered across the floor about a foot away. The numerous wounds indicated that he had been stabbed brutally and mercilessly a couple of times in his chest. The blade was still in his body on slightly on the left side of his chest as if the killer had aimed for his heart. His skin was paler than ever and eyes bloodshot. _Tsubasa laid there, all life drawn away from him._

Stunned, Kyoya's jaw dropped. He could not breathe as he saw the lifeless corpse in front of him. It was as if he had choked on something really big and hard to swallow causing him to struggle for mere life. The eagle blader had been killed. Suddenly, he found himself staring at the silver blade. A four inch wooden handle with an 'L' carved on the side. The blade seemed to be five inches long and sharper than a lion's fang.

 _Lion's fang._ It was his blade. What was it doing here?

Suddenly the envelope slipped from his pocket and settled on the floor. In huge letters, one word in red was typed across it. 'CONFIDENTIAL'

"Kyoya, what's this file doing with you?" Hikaru gasped, as she picked up the envelope.

Bitter realization jerked him back to reality. His blade. The file. It was all a trap, set up for him.

Next thing he knew he was being hurled outside by some policemen as he desperately tried to break free. Screaming repeatedly he tried to convince his companions of his innocence.

"You are arrested for being a major suspect in the murder of Tsubasa Otori."

"LEAVE ME! IT'S NOT MY FAULT!"

"You have the right to a lawyer."

"Anything you say can be used against you in court."

"BELIEVE ME! I DIDN'T DO IT!" Kyoya shouted out as he was banged against the police car and handcuffed.

Her sapphire eyes searched him, full of pain and disbelief.

"Believe me Madoka. I didn't. Please!" Kyoya begged.

She turned around as a lone tear escaped her beautiful azure orbs.

 _I didn't. I didn't._


	12. Chapter 12

**INTEROGATION**

"Why did you kill Tsubasa Otori?"

"I did not kill him."

"Then how do you care to explain your dagger at the scene of the crime."

"I don't know-"

"So it magically appeared?!" The police officer banged his hands at the table. "I have dealt with worse cases, MR TATEGAMI! So I would suggest that you come up clean or matters can go haywire and believe me, you _don't_ want that."

With his sharp jagged features and eyes that almost displayed a deep hunger and conviction to rip Kyoya to pieces, he seemed like a wild wolf and Kyoya was anything but afraid.

"You don't scare me so I _suggest_ you open your eyes to what's going on officer, I was TRICKED!"

"Yes by your own comrade, who is nowhere to be found. That warehouse you mentioned, we already sent a search party there. No proof. Nothing!"

"You think I'm an idiot to go back to place where I 'killed' Tsubasa?"

"Well no." The disapproval suddenly gave hope to Kyoya. "But-" _There's always a but._

"You remembered you had left behind your weapon at the crime scene so you went to retrieve it. However, Mr. Ryo and his son along with his assistant and his sons' girlfriend were already there and thinking that leaving would look suspicious and peculiar you went in but as I said before you are inexperienced and yet careless so you made a bigger mistake that you let the confidential files you stole, _slip,_ confirming your presence and hence link to the victim's murder."

"Let me tell you officer, you're theory is based on fake assumptions. I have already told you what I know. I did not kill Tsubasa."

"What about the files? Did they also magically appear in your pocket?"

Kyoya kept silent, glaring at the interrogating officer, he was getting nowhere with this, over and over with the same questions. True that Kyoya had stolen the files but he was not the one who murdered Tsubasa, however confessing that the files were took by him seemed to be the worst idea. Ryuga had gotten him into this mess though he considered him a friend and after that experience Kyoya had enough brains to know that this vicious and brutal police officer was not any ally either. If he were to get out of this hell of a situation it had to be alone.

"I ASKED YOU SOMETHING! THE FILES?"

"I don't kn-"

The police officer smacked the butt of the pistol, he held firmly in his hand, on Kyoya's head. Kyoya felt his vision blurring and pain jabbing like pins all over his head. With that the police officer slapped him with the back of his hand causing blood to ooze out of the green haired lad's nose.

"HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW?!"

Clenching him from his collar, he jerked Kyoya out of his seat. While Kyoya just smirked enraging the interrogator further.

"Stop playing games lad. All the evidence points towards you."

"I. Didn't. Do. It. _Officer_."

Shoving Kyoya back into his seat, the officer glared at him earning a defiant stare from Kyoya. After a few seconds of an intense stare-off, he moved back and out of the room. Kyoya let out a sigh, not knowing that he had been holding his breath for a while now. He looked around at the grim white walls that had begun to hurt his eyeballs. With some struggle he managed to wipe off the blood dripping from his nose and then tried to relax in the wooden chair. A few hours passed as he sat there, silence hanging heavy in the air. He knew he had to form some sort of plan to break out of this place because if this continued he would soon be put to life sentence or something.

 _Click!_

The door unlocked. Now what kind of new surprises have they brought, Kyoya thought as he tilted his head, bored out of his mind. The officer was very well aware that none of his mind tricks worked on the green haired lad, he was too smart for that, though Kyoya had to admit his sportsman spirit, trying again and again knowing that every deceptive plot he would make would very much end in a failure.

"Escort the suspect to cell 13," said his bony face peeping from the door, a sly smile plastered across Brandon's face.

"So soon? I was enjoying our meeting."

"Time flies when you're having fun, Tategami."

"Agreed."

As soon as he uttered the words two men clad in suits came and loosened the straps. Hands still cuffed he was dragged out the room and to the cell. The past three days had passed with the same routine. In the morning was the wonderful interrogation. A few smacks, a little blood and then he was sent back to have some rest and the next thing you know Ta-da! All of it all over again. Ironic wasn't it?

Rubbing a hand over his face he laid down in bed, thinking of his escape.

"Got another gift? You piss Brandon a lot, man."

"Shut up, Damian!"

"Just saying."

Turning around, Kyoya gritted his teeth. Damian grinned at him as he sat on his bed from across the room. Yup, Kyoya had a roomie. He was better than Benkei at least but still a total pain in the ass.

Suddenly a bundle of papers hit Kyoya in the head.

"Hey! Watch it!" Picking the bundle Kyoya gazed at the texts.

"You're welcome."

"How did-"

"When you were getting your scrawny ass beaten up, I did some work."

Smirking, Kyoya skimmed the texts. _Sweet!_ Now all they needed was the opportune moment.

"Does 12 seem good?"

" _Midnight heists._ " Damian replied, mischief lining his eyes.

* * *

"Tategami, you have a visitor."

 _Visitor?_ The guard opened the door and led Kyoya to the visiting room. When he entered the room he saw Madoka, sitting at a wooden chair, a glass separating the two. For a moment, Kyoya thought it was some kind of mirage. _Madoka here? It can't be._

As he sat across her, he tried to cover up his scars because he noticed that the sight of his bruised face suddenly brought terror into the brunette's eyes.

"Kyoya"

"Hey…"

"What did they-"

"Don't worry it's just a welcome gift."

His answer seemed to worry the brunette more as she creased her eyebrows, an aura of concern and empathy surrounding her. After a moment of silence she spoke up.

"I believe you. I know you didn't kill Tsubasa and I don't care what they say." Madoka blurted out, her tone somewhat signifying that she had a hard time making peace with it.

The abrupt spill of those words froze Kyoya. After a constant blabber of blame, she claimed to believe in his innocence although all the evidence pointed the other way. Heaving a sigh, Kyoya searched her eyes. Her mere presence and then her belief in his favor, it felt like a trick. For a second the worst possibility of this being some kind of test also crossed his mind. But she was there, blindly having faith in his words when everyone called him a murderer.

Speechless, Kyoya just gaped at her. What had he done to deserve someone like hers trust was beyond him.

"I need to go. Gingka would be furious if he comes to know I came. Take care, Kyoya."

Pushing a lock behind her ear, she got up and without a word from either side, the brunette left. While Kyoya just sat there convincing himself to accept the reality of the situation. Some part of him wanted to call out to her, to say something. After all, she did throw her trust in an eternal abyss not knowing what evil and deception laid inside. Her naïveté was like a cage trapping him, suffocating him. There was so much more to Tsubasa's death than she knew, than anyone knew.

* * *

"Hey!" Damian threw a paper ball at the drowsing guard's head. "HEY! I need some water."

"Do I look like your grandma? This ain't your home so let me get some shut eye."

Damian threw another paper ball. "Water!"

Infuriated, the guard got up grunting as he made way out the hallway. After a minute or two he returned holding a paper cup and handed it to Damian.

"Thanks."

"Whatever."

Smirking, Kyoya rolled over and cocked an eyebrow to which Damian slowly held up the keys as he gulped the water. It was not long before the guard dozed off and Damian threw the keys at Kyoya who returned a questioning look as he caught them.

"You do the honors," Damian shrugged.

Opening the lock carefully, Kyoya moved out slowly, trying to avoid unnecessary noise which was to no use because the guard jolted up, awake.

"What-"

Damian acted quickly and strangled the guard who flailed his arms, scratching and struggling desperately as he tried break out of his hold. Both the lads fell to the ground with Damian on top as he tightened his grip on the guard's throat and squeezed with more force. The guard began to choke, his face turning a shade of purple.

"You idiot! You're gonna kill him." Kyoya pushed aside Damian as the guard gasped trying to make up for the loss of oxygen.

"So?"

Furrowing his brows, Kyoya stared at the determination in Damian's eyes. So? So he's going to die… But that possibility did not seem to faze Damian in anyway. Suddenly, a spinning red light with a shrieking sound of an alarm blared out. Both the lads jerked their heads around to find the panting guard pressing the alarm button.

"This happens when we get all merciful! We are going to get bloody caught now!" Damian shouted at Kyoya as he moved towards the guard and punched him knocking him out cold. Subsequently, Damian took the guards pistols out handing one to Kyoya and tucked the other in his belt.

"Now _sweetheart_ , I hope you can get a bullet through someone's head, yeah?" Damian said scornfully.

Kyoya shoved Damian against the wall, almost banging his head and pointed the pistol to his head.

"You want me to demonstrate?"

"No need."

"Good, now if you don't wanna fiddle around with the guard, we should get our asses out of here, yeah?"

"Yeah," replied Damian.

"HANDS UP!"

Both the lads turned around to find a number of guns pointed in their direction. Looking at each other, they formulated a plan. There were seven officers and two of them. Smirking, Kyoya raised his arms up in surrender.

"Officers-"

"DON'T MOVE!"

"Sure."

As the word left Kyoya's mouth, Damian started to fire while Kyoya ducked. Taken aback, the officers instead of shooting back scattered around: running in a mad rush to find cover.

Thud!

Thud!

Two dead. Five to go.

Finding the window of opportunity, Kyoya jumped behind a nearby desk and aimed for the officer who was running with his body hunched trying needlessly to shoot back. Breathing in, Kyoya pulled the trigger. The bullet left the pistol speeding straight towards the officer and punctured his leg. A strange grunt escaped the officer's lips as he fell to the ground. Blood trickled from the wound.

Suddenly, a scream tore through the air. Twisting his head, Kyoya saw its source: another officer fell to the ground gripping his shoulder. Once again Kyoya aimed.

 _Thunk. Thunk._

Two more bullets pierced his body, this time the officer's chest, killing him.

Three against two. The odds were not entirely in their favor but then again if four had fallen, these three did not stand a chance. Glancing to his right, Kyoya saw Damian throwing the empty pistol as he furrowed his eyebrows. It was up to Kyoya? Obviously, yeah.

Kyoya checked the amount of bullets he had left. Two. Without pondering much over his plan or route, he jumped from behind the desk and straight towards the door.

"YOU IDIOT!" Damian bellowed as he threw his arms up in the air.

He was heading straight for the officers. Two were on either sides of the doors behind a chair and a wooden desk respectively; he was rushing right to his death. Skidding as he fell to his knees, Kyoya took aim for the officer on his right. Both of them pulled the trigger at close proximity. One found a target the other missed. Kyoya's lips twisted into a smirk as the officer fell. Turning around, Kyoya aimed for the other officer's head. Another sickening thunk and the officer dropped dead. Kyoya got to his feet and looked back as Damian ran towards him and both of them entered the hallway. After a series of lefts and rights they finally reached the entrance.

"Something's not right, Damian," Kyoya said as he stopped in his steps, turning around as his eyes searched.

"What do you mean?"

"This… is just too easy."

Moving back towards the hallway, Kyoya studied the blank walls.

"Easy?"

"There was one more officer. There were seven in total…"

"So he ran. He knew what was best for him."

"No," Kyoya disagreed absently. "They must know by now through him that we have broken out. No back up? Just seven officers?" Kyoya turned around to meet Damian's gaze.

"You're just worrying too much," Damian glanced at his watch. "It's one thirty in the morning. They would be snoring in their bloody beds."

Opening the front door, leading outside to the main street, Damian looked back at Kyoya who was still halfway through the corridor.

"C'mon." Damian said, as he left the building.

Kyoya stood there. Everything seemed wrong, too effortless.

Suddenly, white blinding light seeped from the door and the windows and a rigid voice blared out.

"Freeze!"

 _Shit! Damian._

Kyoya suddenly ran outside to see the lad with a hand on his eyes, frantically trying to block the light. They were surrounded. Kyoya's suspicion had turned to reality. A number of police cars, with numerous officers were standing in rows pointing their guns at the two. They were encircled, with no way out.

Bang!

His body fell to the ground.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm too lazy and sick to read this all over. so forgive me for any typos... Anyways, i know Damian and Kyoya don't get along too well but... I'm crazy and well i made 'em buddies so bear with me...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sides**

Convulsing pain seized him as his body made contact with the hard cold ground. He saw Damian, who ran over to him shaking him aggressively ranting something undecipherable repeatedly. Nausea and wooziness had begun to drown him. Trying needlessly over and over to calm his breathing, he tried to stay awake and conscious but the pain was blinding him. Choking on a scream he tried to steady himself but to no use. Blackness was engulfing him, taking him under.

Screaming and gunshots reverberated in the air. The last thing he saw before passing out was a smirking white haired lad approaching him.

"Guess I came at the right time…"

* * *

Gasping, Kyoya woke up. His hands made way to his chest. He was shot- and someone bandaged him? Ryuga; he was there. Did he rescue them?

Damian.

Where was he?

With a hundred questions haunting his mind and little sense of 'you should not move after you have been shot', he jumped off the bed only to fall to the ground as a grunt escaped his lips. Moaning, he tried to suppress the scream that had build up upon impact and threatened to flee his body. With immense struggle and support from the bed, he managed to get up.

"Finally awake, are we?" Ryuga asked as he leaned against the door.

"You bastard!" Kyoya ignored any pain or vulnerability he felt due to his wound and lunged at Ryuga, punching him belligerently as they both fell to the ground. But Ryuga pushed Kyoya off him and pinned him down landing a furious blow as a comeback.

"Why did you kill him?!" Kyoya bellowed as he arched his back up throwing Ryuga off him and caught his breath. Surging pain was beginning to make him dizzy again. Ryuga's weight on his wound was apparently too much to bear. He enveloped his torso by wrapping his arms around himself as he rested against the nearby wall, grunting. Ryuga noticed so he sat back opposite to him. A while passed as both lads regained composure.

"Why did you kill Tsubasa?" Kyoya asked, this time his tone displaying both physical and spiritual pain.

"I got orders."

"From Doji? Ryuga, I'm telling you that guy is-"

"No, you listen to me Kyoya. We don't question our orders. We never did, we never will. Yours were to get the files. Mine were to kill Tsubasa. Why? It's not our job to know."

"But what has Tsubasa got- Don't you think… He was innocent? He would have never-"

"What's wrong with you? Since when did- don't tell me you actually think Gingka and his rainbow posse is on your side? Do you even remember why we chose to join _this_ side?"

"I do. But why use my blade? Why didn't you tell me you had orders to kill him?"

"I was instructed to."

"Instructed? Are you hearing yourself? I know we don't 'question' orders, but tell me, why my dagger? It takes time to build up trust. Time. Why would Doji want it destroyed? Doesn't this seem peculiar to you? My orders were to get close to Gingka, I did. Why throw it away? If Doji didn't want them to trust me why play a game of 'let's be acquaintances' in the first place?"

"He has his reasons."

"What has gotten into you?! Since when did you become his dog?"

"I didn't. Ignorance is bliss, Kyoya, bliss." Ryuga sighed. Kyoya could clearly point out the evident anguish in his eyes. He was hiding something.

"So what now?"

"We give the files to Doji."

"But they're with- Damian. Where is he? Did he get out alright? I need to talk to Doji, we need to keep that lad around he knows too-" Kyoya blurted out as he got up impatiently.

"Hold your donkeys, man! He's already part of the union. Always was. Like I said everything was _planned._ C'mon he's with Nile and Benkei."

Kyoya creased his eyebrows. Planned? Sighing, he thought of bringing himself to peace with everything being already mapped and designed deliberately. Everything was planned. _I just hope this plan ends well for me._

"Earth to the idiot who's lost in his world of thoughts," Ryuga waved a hand in front of him, "You coming?"

"Yeah," Kyoya began to follow him into the hallway.

As he dragged his feet through the corridor, Kyoya gazed at the cracks at the floor. His life felt like that broken tile; wrecked and as if that was not enough, now a new feeling overwhelmed him, uncertainty. After a long time he actually wondered who should he trust? Who was his ally: Ryuga or Gingka? One thing was sure, Gingka was no ally, never was maybe he never will be. But was Ryuga? Was the 'side' he presently was on, the _right_ one? Was ignorance truly bliss or just a cowardly way to turn away from the evidence pointing to impending doom.

 _No, Ryuga's right. It is better not question Doji. We never did and we never shall. If knowing were to be important for us, we would have been informed._

"You do know that it's 'hold your horses', right?"

"Yeah, but I think donkeys suit you more, don't you agree?" Ryuga smirked to which Kyoya scoffed and then smiled somewhat feeling his tension fade away. Maybe doubting him was wrong. Maybe this was where he belonged.

The sky blue haired lad rolled his eyes at Nile's comment while Demure smiled crossing his arms. Kyoya felt a sudden feeling of gladness encompass him. For some weird reason seeing Benkei did not bother him and as usual he was the first one to notice Kyoya enter.

"Kyoya buddy?" Benkei ran over to him and hugged him all his force. Yup, he suddenly remembered why Benkei was so annoying.

"BENKEI! I'VE GOT THIS WHITE SHIT PLASTERED ACROSS MY CHEST FOR A REASON." Kyoya managed to retort even though his injured ribs were being crushed.

"Oh sorry." Benkei moved back realizing he might have squeezed too hard.

"How does feel? I mean being shot," Damian asked as Kyoya took a deep breath.

"Like I've been shot," Kyoya smirked.

"Oh really?" Nile asked with fake amazement as he shook hands with Kyoya. "I'm glad to see you in one piece."

"I'm glad too."

"Ok, I guess we've got to cut short of the hellos and welcomes. Damian, where are the files?" Ryuga asked sternly holding out a hand as if he would hand Ryuga the files at that very moment.

"Files? Oh, files… uh-" Damian stopped and looked at Kyoya then back at Ryuga.

"What?"

"I don't have them."

"What do you mean you don't have 'em?" Kyoya asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"Look, I had them. But, when Kyoya got shot and you guys came and all that police versus us scenario started I lost the files."

"Lost? Like-" Benkei asked.

"No, I mean like at the end I had a hand to hand combat with Brandon, and well… he took 'em. I tried to get 'em back but Kyoya was bleeding and Ryuga couldn't carry him all the way alone, so as the others covered for us, I went over to help-"

Damian had not yet finished that Kyoya pinned him against the wall.

"You mean to tell me that all of this was for _nothing_!? You couldn't e-"

"Kyoya, he did the right thing. If he had gone after the files you wouldn't be alive." Demure stated.

"Someone else could have helped carry me! What did you have to do? Drag me. That doesn't seem hard!"

"We didn't have a lot of people Kyoya!" Ryuga backed up.

"Not even one more to spare?"

"He saved your life, man. Give him some credit!" Nile commented.

"No, you listen to me. He did save my life but we lost the files. I'm not blaming him but what in bloody hell are we gonna tell Doji?"

Just the mention of going empty handed to Doji silenced everyone.

"When's he coming?" Kyoya turned around to meet Ryuga's worried eyes.

"In two days time."

"Guess I'm going to jail again." Kyoya declared.

"No!" Ryuga shook his head disapprovingly. "We can't send you."

"Why not?"

"It's too dangerous. You do know that the police are looking for you, you're wanted for murder and then jail break. It's better to send in Damian, he has a better chance, both physically and you know the police won't suspect him much. After all, he did get the files before."

"But-"

"Trust me Kyoya, its better this way. We can't afford to lose you. Doji won't allow it."

"Great! _Doji won't allow it!"_ Kyoya grunted as he stormed out of the room.

"Kyoya buddy-"Benkei was about to follow Kyoya that Ryuga held a hand out to stop him.

"Give him some time, Benkei."

* * *

Worried sick, Madoka sat in her room, thinking all of it over and over. It was everywhere. The news broadcasted his escape again and again. Just the word escape made her lips quiver and send her into a deep nostalgia. She could not explain what she felt, more like she was afraid of she felt. She should hate Kyoya shouldn't she? Gingka was right, why escape if he was not guilty. Sighing, Madoka gripped her head trying to prevent the tears from cascading down her cheeks. She did believe him but why did every action he take point the other way. The other day she also told him that she trusted him, but he did not say anything back. Was it because he knew that she was wrong? Did her blind trust amuse him? She glanced over to the files. All for this.

All of this happened due to these files, due to _this._

The officer had said that the two lads were running off with the files and that Kyoya had an ally, Damian. Everything that happened was far more intricate for her to accept and even then her mind would make up an excuse trying to conceal the ever so apparent truth by covering up for Kyoya. Why was she doing this to herself? Tsubasa was such a dear friend and she felt like she was betraying him by siding with Kyoya, after all she did have no proof that he did not kill him.

"No, no, Madoka what are you thinking? Kyoya would never do this, never." She mumbled to herself as she exhaled heavily. The burden on her chest never ceased to strangle her and the effort to deny the fact of Kyoya being a murderer was draining her. _Fact of Kyoya being a murderer._

Madoka once again shook her head.

* * *

"Get dressed!" Ryuga ordered as he banged the door.

"Kyoya? Open up!"

A few minutes passed as an eerie silence surrounded them.

"Kyoya?" Damian knocked on the door. "Kyoya?"

"Bring the spare key, Benkei."

Benkei hurried down the corridor as both Damian and Ryuga called out a few more times only to meet with the same response. Silence. Benkei panted as he came with the spare key and they opened the door.

"Empty."

"Where did Kyoya buddy go?"

"Where do you think, Benkei? That idiot has a knack for making stupid decisions! I told him to stay away from that bitch but, no! If he listens to me he'll drown in the fucking River Thames!"

"Who's he talkin' about?" Damian asked as he knit his eyebrows.

"Madoka!" Ryuga exclaimed and then ran a hand through his hair.

"Why are we worrying so much? She has the files doesn't she? Demure said so himself." Damian explained.

"But _he_ doesn't know that!" Ryuga stated somewhat bellowing.

"And what if it's a trap?" Nile suggested. "You know to capture Kyoya."

Banging his hands against the table, Ryuga bellowed, "FIND HIM!"

* * *

Ting Tong!

The bell rang as Madoka clumsily walked out of bed and down to the door. Pushing the stiff handle she called out, "Who's there?"

But as the door opened she met his sapphire orbs. He was leaning against the door frame, staring at her. Madoka gaped at him, gazing at his eyes which resembled the oceanic waves threatening to drown her, engulf her down to unknown depths. Before she even knew what she was doing she hugged the green haired lad with all her force despite the grunt that escaped his lips. Was it just moments ago that she doubted his innocence? Even if it were it did not matter anymore. He was here and she felt like there was nothing she could need now.

Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her slightly. Just holding her made him feel that all the pain inflicted upon him had drifted away. Her essence was intoxicating making him vulnerable. Time seemed to halt as they held onto each other tightly as if they parted now they would have to part forever.

Letting go, Madoka cupped his face in her hands and beamed. "What are you doing here?" As if the question caused something horrifying to dawn upon her, she dragged the lad inside before he could answer. Kyoya had run away from jail and he could not be seen roaming outside in the streets of Bey city, now could he?

As he entered Madoka's bedroom, Kyoya tried to push away the growing excruciating pain in his chest and forced a smile.

"Are you alright?" Madoka tensed up as she saw Kyoya. He clearly could not hide his pain.

"Yeah… I just…" He looked down to his chest.

"Lemme see."

Kyoya suddenly moved back at the brunette's request to which Madoka smiled assuring him that there was nothing to worry about. As she approached him, he, with some pained effort, slid off his shirt exposing his chest. Her heart sank at the sight. He was- shot? Gingka did not mention that. Neither did Officer Brandon nor was there any such news broadcast on television. Madoka reluctantly reached out and slightly brushed her hand over the blood soaked bandages earning a groan from Kyoya. Flustered, Madoka immediately moved her hand away.

It was only then she realized what was going on. They were alone and Kyoya did not have his shirt on. She suddenly took a step back, bashfully.

Was he moving closer? Heat was rising in her cheeks but she did not want turn away.

"I need you." Kyoya said in a hoarse whisper as he leaned down. For a second, Madoka felt as if he was about to kiss her, but he stopped merely inches from her face. The lack of distance between their lips and the immediate desire in his voice teased Madoka to such an extent that she almost crashed her lips onto his. The restrain from staying put was killing her. Why did he have this effect on her? Each muscle in her body ached for the want of him causing her to wrap her arms around his neck. Heat radiated off his body, comforting her in an unusual way. A subtle smile touched the edge of his lips as her chest met his.

Kyoya enveloped her waist frantically pulling her closer as she kissed him. Their gentle sweet kisses soon grew hungrier and impatient. Whatever shreds of self restraint either side had crumbled to pieces as Kyoya stumbled against her causing her to collapse backward into the bed. Their lips parted and Kyoya buried his face against her neck, nuzzling, causing a shiver to run her spine. He moved back, kissing her jaw line, cheek and lips, delicately sucking on them. Madoka ran a hand through his hair as she savored his weight on her.

Suddenly, Kyoya moved back. Madoka looked up, wondering if she made a mistake. He got up, put his shirt back on and made way for the door as Madoka stayed there, confused. She could feel her heart's thump growing louder, each time he advanced towards the exit.

"I…can't." Kyoya said before leaving the room.

For a few seconds, Madoka sat in bed, dumbfounded. Then she got up and went down stairs, trying to come to peace with what had happened. After all, she was with Gingka. All of this _was_ wrong. But why did it hurt her? Why, when he left, she felt the urge to stop him? Locking the door, she came back to her room and jumped on the bed. The mirage that occurred just minutes ago replayed in her mind like a movie. She glanced to her right and suddenly jerked herself up realizing her foolhardiness. Getting up, she rushed over to the table where the parchment once laid.

Heart shattered into pieces, she tried to prevent tears from welling up in her eyes. He tricked her.

The files were gone and she had been too blind to see.


	14. Chapter 14

**HOPE**

Kyoya gazed at the parchment which lay across his bed as Ryuga grinned like an idiot. They had finally acquired the files. Doji was coming tomorrow, all his hard work had finally paid off but why did he feel down trodden. Running a hand through his hair, he watched his comrades celebrate but dread had taken hold of him.

"Here, Kyoya." Ryuga handed him the vessel containing the champagne. "I actually thought that you would blow our cover. You proved…me wrong. Y-You overcame your weakness," Ryuga held his glass up, "A toast to Kyoya, for making this happen till we are happy dogs!"

Yeah, he was totally drunk and the azure eyed lad was not in the mood for any kind appreciation. All he could think was her; the broken look in her eyes as he left. He had used her when she trusted and cared so wholly. Sighing, the lad accepted the compulsive liquor and gulped it down. Maybe it would help him get over this dismay. But no matter how he tried he could feel her, her delicate skin brushing against his lips, he could hear her breathe, he could feel her wrapping her arms around his neck, those sapphire eyes looking back at him. Clenching his fists he tried to control himself. What was he even doing?

" _You overcame your weakness"_

Ryuga did not know how wrong he was. Kyoya did not surmount his weakness but had only strengthened it. Moreover, the liquor only gave a boost to the already building up desire. Kyoya guzzled down a massive amount of the intoxicant not caring of the consequences. He _needed_ to forget.

But it was so hard…

Vertigo clamped its claws around Kyoya as he stumbled picking up another glass.

"Kyoya…"

Recognizing the voice, he turned around. She stood just steps away, smiling faintly.

"I trusted you…" She gazed at the floor as a lone tear meandered across her cheek. Biting her lip, she looked up to him as her eyes flooded letting out their burden. Kyoya held out a hand to stop her but she kept moving back.

"Madoka, wait…"

Shaking her head, she sniffed and pushed her brown locks away from her face. He almost ran to catch up with her.

"STAY AWAY!" Madoka shouted as she pushed Kyoya's hand away.

"Madoka, please… Let me explain."

"S-stay away…"

His vision began to blur. Nausea grasped him.

"M-madoka…"

Black out.

* * *

"What do you mean, Madoka?" Gingka held her chin up, empathizing with the brunette as she sobbed.

"I'm s-sorry…" Madoka cried, "I d-don't know what came over me. H-he's helped us so far, Gingka. I t-thought he… he…"

"He's on our side." Gingka finished her sentence as he embraced her. "I know."

"I-I believed that he was innocent. I t-thought that this was a… sham against… against him. B-But…"

"I know."

Caressing her hair, Gingka tried to console her. Kyoya's act only helped distinguish the two sides, and the heights the opposing side would go through to get what they wanted. They used deceit, and if they knew how to play dirty so did Gingka.

* * *

Waking up, Kyoya gripped his head. Queasiness still had its effect because the green haired lad could feel the bile rising up to his throat. Inhaling deeply, he tried to relieve himself of the nausea.

"Sleepy ass, c'mon!" Nile ordered a smirk lining his features.

"Okay…" Kyoya replied groggily.

Dragging his feet, Kyoya followed the orange haired lad who whistled, slowly swaying as he led Kyoya.

Someone seems happy, Kyoya thought.

As he entered the main auditorium, he found everyone seated formally as if waiting for a ceremony to commence. Kyoya casually went over to Ryuga and slumped beside him.

"Up?" Ryuga asked.

"I think so. What's goin' on?"

"Nothing… Doji's here."

"Oh…" Kyoya rested his head on his hand which leaned against the sofa's arm, his mind still hazy until he jerked himself up and looked at Ryuga in awe. "Wait- what?!"

"Doji's here." Ryuga repeated with a wry smile.

Heaving a sigh, Kyoya tried to take in the words. Doji was finally here. Okay… He was here and Kyoya had gotten the files so everything should go smoothly, right?

Yeah, Kyoya thought, smooth as silk.

Soon a man in his late 30s approached the rostrum. He was clad in a black suit and wore a monocle. His hair was uncommonly fuzzy and his thin lips were twisted into a smirk.

"Down to business," Kyoya pondered aloud.

"More like a bad hair day." Ryuga chuckled to which Kyoya smiled.

"Silence please." Doji addressed the crowd of adolescents as he motioned his arms up and down gradually. When everyone quieted down, Doji clearing his throat, spoke up.

"This has been a great session. We have had some new recruits," Doji gestured towards the juveniles seated at the left side of the stage who grinned at their mention. "And I personally think that the new Headquarters are far more compatible than the last ones. Suggestions are welcomed but to a productive extent. But I must as you teenagers say 'cut to the chase'. This session's tasks were completed extraordinarily..."

The speech lingered on as Doji complemented everyone on their success and then Doji locked his gaze to Kyoya's. His eyes bore into Kyoya, penetrating through him, piercing his body. Doji's gaze was so intense that Kyoya could not help but feel intimidated but Kyoya was not going to show it. However, the message was clear: something awful was coming his way.

"I would like to call Kyoya and Ryuga on stage for their explicit work."

"What?" Ryuga genuinely confused looked at Kyoya who continued to stare Doji. Out of all the lads why were _they_ called upon stage?

Both the comrades got up and went over to the stage. Ryuga handled the whole scenario quite remarkably, but Kyoya knew better. Not daring to look away from Doji and gathering all the courage he had went over and stood beside him as Ryuga followed.

Doji patted the two lads and turned over to the mike.

"These two should be an inspiration for you. I, for one, did not think that they could pull off such complicated tasks."

 _Complicated? Complicated did not even begin to explain it._

"However, they proved me wrong. They not only completed them but did so splendidly."

 _Yeah, killing an innocent teenager and betraying someone's trust was definitely something splendid._

Kyoya was tired of proving people wrong, he was tired of all this. How did he manage to tangle himself up in this mess?

"And now as a prize, they shall be the first ones to receive the second session's tasks. The tasks that shall test everyone's limits beyond compare, test your loyalties."

A guy appeared with two envelopes. Doji handed them to both Ryuga and Kyoya.

"I wish you, both, luck. I know you won't disappoint."

Reluctantly, Kyoya took the parchment. Too much was lost the last time he had done this. Was he ready for a round two? Was he ready to start all of it over?

No.

"Sorry…"

The word suddenly caused shock to stamp across Doji's face.

"What?"

"I want out."

Gasps reverberated through the hall.

"Quiet down please." Doji ordered. All it required was just a wave.

Silence.

"Yes, Kyoya?"

"I-"

Suddenly, Ryuga nudged Kyoya. Turning around, he looked at the white haired lad. For the first time in Kyoya's life, he had seen genuine, skin paling fear in Ryuga's eyes. Kyoya knew that he would be cursing him under his breath but this had to _end_.

"I. Want. Out."

Doji eyes glistened, amused by his answer. "But, Kyoya that's the thing… You. Can't. Quit."

He copied his tone: said it with the same confidence and surety Kyoya had and that's when the Kyoya knew he was trapped. But was surrendering to his command an option? No.

"I won't do it!" Kyoya dropped the envelope.

Doji's smirk grew wider as he picked up the envelope. "I can always find someone else, Kyoya. But that doesn't mean you can deny orders. Ryuga, please tell Kyoya, what happens if my orders are not followed."

"Kyoya… Please, come to your senses. This is where we belong." Ryuga urged.

"I don't want this, Ryuga. This is _not_ where we belong!"

"Son," Doji put a hand on Kyoya's shoulder. "Ryuga is right. He has seen enough to come to this conclusion."

Gritting his teeth, Ryuga clenched his fists as his eyes began to water. _What the hell was going on?_

"Am I not right, Ryuto- I mean, Ryuga?" Doji grinned. It almost felt as if Doji was feeding off Ryuga's misery; the devil feeding off a soul.

" _Ignorance is bliss, Kyoya, bliss"_

No, no, no. Kyoya felt his world sink down into nothingness as his mind comprehended the meaning of the phrase.

He killed him. He killed Ryuto.

Kyoya thought he was out again or maybe busy that's why he did not see him for a while. It was not uncommon for them to meet after a long time. But now it made sense; Ryuga's sudden change of behavior, sudden increase in warnings, his persistent urge to convince Kyoya to follow orders.

Ryuga had denied to kill Tsubasa so they killed Ryuto; Doji murdered his brother.

The revelation caused Kyoya to take a step back. All the people he cared for were under danger: Ryuga, Nile, Demure, Damian, even Benkei. They were all puppets under the hands of their cruel puppet master: Doji. Why did Kyoya realize this so late?

Kyoya turned around to look through the crowd and found the lads, then he swiveled his neck to meet Ryuga's gaze which was now stern and rigid.

"Stop whining and take the damned task, Kyoya." Ryuga ordered as he stormed down the stage back through the crowd and out the hall.

Doji handed Kyoya the parchment once again. Taking it, Kyoya sighed and ran down to follow Ryuga.

A sea of judging orbs pursued him as he ran up to catch up with Ryuga. Nile, Demure, Benkei and Damian also followed.

"Ryuga wait!" Kyoya called out.

Ryuga stopped and turned around to face Kyoya.

"YOU ARE THE BIGGEST IDIOT I HAVE MET, TATEGAMI! EVEN BIGGER THAN I EVER WAS! YOU ENDANGERED ALL THESE IDIOTS' LIFE TOO BY THAT 'I WANT OUT' ACT!"

"I didn't know okay? I… when-"

"They _killed_ Ryuto, Kyoya! THEY KILLED HIM INFRONT OF ME! Ryuto didn't even know what was happening. HE MADE ME WATCH RYUTO BLEED TO DEATH AS I WRITHED IN A FUCKING CHAIR JUST WATCHING, KNOWING I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING!" Ryuga bellowed as he moved towards Kyoya and then took a deep breath.

"… Ryuto took all the beating then eventually the bullets because apparently he had told him he would kill me if he didn't. Why did all this shit happen, you wonder? BECAUSE I REFUSED! AND YOU CAN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND. No… BEING ALL GOODIE PRINCESS-Y IS IN YOUR DAMNED NATURE! WELL GUESS WHAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU! AT LEAST THINK ABOUT THEM." Ryuga pointed towards the four lads standing behind Kyoya.

Kyoya had already figured Ryuto's death out but hearing it through Ryuga's mouth seemed to grasp hold of him more brutally.

"They would go through hell just because of you. I would! And you? Even if Doji miraculously allowed you to leave- to actually get out of this bullshit of a mess, would you really just leave? Did you ever thought what would happen to us? And where in hell would you go, huh? To that little bubblegum?"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry, yeah." Ryuga scornfully replied, his voice low and unwittingly calm making him seem pained more than ever.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Ryuga walked down the hallway, without saying another word.

There was nothing to say.

* * *

Kyoya felt as if someone pulled the earth away from his feet when he saw the familiar brown locks, those pink lips and blue eyes. Looking at the picture, his heart raced as he gripped the bed's side harder until his hands began to hurt.

 **MISSION: KILL MADOKA AMANO.**

 **DATE: Before 17th March.**

He could not do it…

He would not do it.

* * *

Ryuga held the parchment. His hands shivered. Doji was not going to let such an act go unpunished so he had expected something like this but not in his wildest dreams did the possibility of him being given this task, came.

 **MISSION: KILL KYOYA TATEGAMI**

 **DATE: 17th March.**

Was Ryuto those lads' task too? Were they forced by Doji too, to kill him?

Tears rolled down his cheek as he sighed.

* * *

Both the lads sat in their rooms as they gazed at their upcoming tasks. The irony of actually believing that everything would just turn out fine now seemed to amuse them.

Hope is a dangerous thing…

It kills.

* * *

 **A/N: Didn't proof read this _again._ Mind this lazy bone's mistakes! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**TABLES TURNED**

Madoka sat in Tsubasa's office, gazing at the room. A pang of guilt and torment seemed to bring excruciating pain to the brunette. Her nightmarish ordeal did not seem to end. She remembered his azure eyes begging her. Every inch of her body wanted to help him. But Gingka was right. Kyoya was not to be trusted.

She looked at the wall. He was in the next room, being interrogated. Occasionally, she would hear shouts and screams, causing her eyes to water. Was it just months ago that Tsubasa held a glass of wine as he sat across her in this very room and was congratulated on his promotion by the very lad who is now held at suspicion of being his murderer?

Clutching the sides of the table, Madoka looked down at the wooden carvings.

Doji… That's the name the green haired lad had used repeatedly when he showed her the parchment and asked for aid. She stared at the text.

 **MISSION: KILL MADOKA AMANO**

"BELIEVE YOU? HOW DO YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE?"

It was Gingka's voice. Madoka turned to gape at the white plastered wall again as if hoping it would to crumble down taking down all the anguish from her life.

Kyoya had shown explicit proof. He came. He showed her the text. If he wanted to kill her why would he tell her everything?

" _Madoka, listen. They gave me this task. Doji did. If they assigned me to kill you, Doji might have assigned all of you to someone. You need to stay alert. Tell Gingka and the others that their lives are in danger. Doji would do anything to get his work done. Madoka? Please say something. Believe me I'm not trying to trick you. Doji- he- things are more complicated than they seem. Gingka is a threat and that makes him a liability and therefore a target and anyone associated with him too."_

He warned her and she had called the redhead. However, not to warn him but to get Kyoya arrested.

Heart beating faster she paced around in the room. Her hands gripped her head as she tried to make sense of everything.

Kyoya has to be telling the truth was the only conclusion her mind could come to. There was no point of using deceit. He must be telling the truth. All of this hardly seemed like an act.

Banging open the door she entered the interrogating room.

"Madoka?" The three lads said in unison.

Kyoya looked up, groaning. His lips bled and a black eye seemed to dishevel his features but he was still smirking. A sudden shiver ran down her spine. What was she doing again?

Oh, yeah. She was going to save Kyoya. Why in hell did she always do this? No matter, she had already decided.

"Stop it!"

"What?" The redhead creased his eyebrows and as if it were possible Kyoya's smirk grew even wider.

"Madoka, you should leave." Gingka said so soothingly that she almost headed for the door. Alas, almost.

"He is innocent."

Kyoya's head slumped down, content lining his features to hear the words coming from her.

"Madoka…" Gingka made way for her as she gawked at the lad on the floor, putting together the words.

"No, Gingka, he wouldn't lie about something like this." Madoka blurted out.

"How do you know?" Gingka asked, stopping in his tracks.

For a second or two, Madoka was speechless. She just stared at Gingka. How did she know? Because… she just knew. Everything was so crystal clear, that denying Kyoya's honesty displayed- blindness.

"He wouldn't…"

"He would." Gingka disagreed sternly.

"No…" She looked up to meet the golden orbs. "You were wrong. He's on our side."

"He isn't!"

"Gingka… He is."

"He lied. He played you and he still is! Why can't you see?" He pleaded. Gingka's tone felt like a piercing stab to her. The use of the word 'played' caused her to hark back to how Kyoya used her to steal the files. A flash of doubt etched across her face, but was quickly replaced by reason. Kyoya had motive then, but not now.

"He tricked you. He used you. He's still doing the same!" Gingka carried on.

"No… Madoka. I know I have made… some mistakes in the past but… believe me." Kyoya managed to croak out the words, breathing heavily.

Confused, she looked over at Masamune who had been witnessing the whole scenario quietly from the corner. He gazed down at the floor and Madoka knew that she was not getting any help from the lad.

"Madoka… Please. You care too much, and he's using you."

"I. AM. NOT. TAKING. ADVANTAGE. OF HER! I came here to warn you. It's been a day since I left, Doji would be looking for me! And he knows I'd most likely come to you. YOUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER! ALL OF OUR LIVES ARE IN DANGER!" Kyoya bawled.

Gingka snapped as he pummeled Kyoya brutally.

"WE WON'T FALL FOR THAT STUPID TRICK AGAIN!" Gingka bellowed.

Madoka watched, awestricken as the redhead continued to batter Kyoya. Punch after punch with sheer intensity. Kyoya did not fight back.

"Gingka, stop!" She tried to push Gingka off of Kyoya but Gingka jolted around forcefully causing Madoka to fall to the ground. Realizing what he had done, Gingka moved two steps back, his eyes downcast as she got up gawking at the lad. _What had gotten over him?_

"Masamune, take Madoka outside." Gingka ordered as he turned around towards a table while Kyoya spat out blood, staining the floor red.

Never had Madoka seen Gingka so infuriated. It was like a caged demon was trying to make his way out of the redhead's body.

Masamune was already halfway across the room when Madoka fell. Madoka looked at the lad, as he sighed at Gingka's demand. Why wasn't _he_ doing something? Did he think this was right? Was he siding with Gingka? Madoka tried to meet his eyes but her attention got diverted. The redhead landed another punch on Kyoya's face causing him to grunt in pain. Madoka took a step forward in order to stop Gingka but Masamune motioned her towards the door.

"Madoka…" Masamune urged Madoka to leave however she stood stiff, not daring to move.

"No."

"Madoka. Please." Masamune repeated, this time his toner firmer than before without the slightest hint of supplication in it.

"Masamune, tell him. Please. Tell him that Kyoya is innocent." Madoka begged as she searched his eyes. But Masamune was not paying attention to her plea. He was looking beyond her. She turned around, tracing his line of sight.

Gingka had raised a gun.

Madoka's heart thumped like a sledgehammer, over and over; growing louder with each second.

 _Thump! Thump!_

Gingka pointed it towards the green haired lad.

"NO!" Madoka tried to advance towards Gingka but Masamune held out a hand stopping her.

"MASAMUNE, HE- GET AWAY!" Madoka screamed. "GINGKA! NO!"

"Masamune, take her outside." Gingka replied nonchalantly.

"GINGKA PLEASE NO! HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH!"

Madoka flailed her arms as she yelped and begged.

Gingka tightened his grip on the pistol, "Masamune."

Masamune picked the brunette up and made way out the room.

"MASAMUNE! STOP HIM!" She writhed and squirmed in his grip, tears cascading down her cheeks. "LEAVE ME!"

Kyoya looked at her, her milky skin, the chocolate brown locks that bounced as she tried to reach out for him desperately. Her sapphire eyes had darkened, pupils dilated as fear encompassed her and she continued to beseech.

Oh, how much he wanted to reach back, hold onto her and run. For the first time in his life he felt the need to escape and flee, away from all of _this._ Weird how utterly hopeless and late he was.

"STOP! STOP! PLEASE!"

The door closed.

Kyoya was staring at the gun. A smirk was creeping up on his lips. Ironic wasn't it? Just a few months back he was in Gingka's position and Gingka was in his; pointing a gun at the redhead, beating the life out of him. The smug expression that had etched across Gingka clearly depicted the fact that he was loving this, every moment, after all he got to get back at Kyoya for that day.

"MASAMUNE STOP HIM! KYOYA IS INNOCENT! STOP HIM! SOMEBODY... PLEASE!"

Her muffled plea danced through his ears.

She cared…

He closed his eyes, bracing himself.

In that frozen moment, he tried to cherish her, her presence, her subtlety. She was his infatuation, his weakness, the reason for his existence.

…and that was all he needed.

Bang!

A gasp escaped her lips as she heard the gunshot.

She could feel everything around her fall apart, her world being devastated. A surge of pain shot through her as she brought herself to the reality of what had occurred. Crumbling... Everything was crumbling around her. The foundation of her life force seemed to get crushed by the sound that echoed the hallway. The sound of the bullet's release.

The sound of ultimate death.

Her body stiffened.

"Kyoya…"

Her lips mouthed his name as she stopped struggling and hung against the black haired teen, clutching his shirt harder and sobbed her heart out.

 _When did the world become so cruel?_

 _When did hearts turn to stone?_

* * *

As Gingka entered, Madoka gaped at the redhead. Hatred sprouted from within her as it always did since the last month. How could he commit such an act?

He was nearing her as she moved back. Pulling her into an embrace he tried to console her. But all she felt was purposelessness. Numbness had grasped her. She did not feel any sorrow, just emptiness. Pushing herself out of his hold, she went outside.

Strolling through the streets she gazed at whatever caught her sight in an attempt to pacify the hole in her heart threatening to engulf her into darkness. Lips quivering, she clamped her fingers together. Her heart childishly wished for a time machine to magically appear so she could stop this from ever happening.

Only if she knew.

Only if she had tried harder.

Maybe just maybe…

Air seemed to thicken because the more she walked, she had difficulty to breathe. Biting her lip, she sat at a nearby bench breathing in and out trying to distract herself.

She sat there, motionless, thinking over everything. Sighing, she looked around at the very familiar yet so alien place.

" _HEY WATCH IT!"_

" _S-sorry!" She had picked up her grocery bags as the azure orbs just stared at her. Looking up, she slightly bowed, uttering another apology._

" _Whatever." He held out a hand._

 _Bemused she had gaped at him._

" _You can't carry all that." He took the bags from her. "You'll keep hitting people."_

Tears lined her eyes as she gulped trying to keep herself from breaking after recollecting the event. Pursing her lips, she gripped the bench. She couldn't take it anymore. She trusted the redhead so much. Why would he do something like this? How could he? He did not think for once. He did not even consider the possibility of Kyoya being innocent. Madoka buried her head in her hands. Blubbering, she tried to drown her misery in her tears.

Then, she dug through the contents of her bag. Finding the pill, she gulped down the anti-depressant and got up sighing. Moving through the same old streets felt so strange. Oh, how she wished Tsubasa was here. He would always have something to make her smile, to ease her pain. Closing her eyes, she once again inhaled deeply. The doctor said she should avoid over thinking but no matter how much she tried the clock always stopped on the two lads.

Victim and killer.

From them her thoughts raced to Gingka and Kyoya. Where in the original equation Kyoya was replaced by Gingka and Kyoya took Tsubasa's place. Nothing changed, it was still a story about the murderer and murdered.

Looking away, she tried to brush off the thought. She took out the watch from her side pocket. It was getting late. After all, when she would go back she would have loads of dishes waiting for her.

It was so weird, how people moved on forgetting about those who used to define their lives once. Absently moving through the streets she finally reached B-Pit. She fumbled through different keys trying to open the lock. _Not this one. Not this one either. Ugh, next._

Click!

 _Finally…_

As she entered, something made her stop in her tracks. A pair of eyes stared at her. Cautiously, she swiveled her head around to see the owner, keeping her movements slow and calm to avoid suspicion.

Across the road he stood watching her blankly.

His white hair and thin lips caused Madoka's skin to turn ghostly pale.

Ryuga…

* * *

 **A/N: First of all, apologies for the ever so late update. Especially to Lydiaholabang, so sorry mate i had to make you wait so long. The chapter was written for like ages but well my ever so lazy self failed to update anyway. And i want to also confess that the incident with Kyoya was also one of the reasons cx of which i didn't update this sooner. I know Kyoya's like the main protagonist here and am totally expecting murderous letters but this had to be done... I did give it a lot of thought and am sure that what's coming ahead won't disappoint you.**

 **Once again, SORRY! *hides behind Masamune* If anyone is in 'kill this crazy author' mood. Take Masamune instead!**


	16. Chapter 16

**MEETING**

' _Do you see her?'_

"Yes." Ryuga replied through the microphone.

' _Good. You know what to do.'_

Ryuga nodded and approached Madoka.

The brunette stood motionless, her feet clamped to the ground. The rivalry between the two sides had deepened more than ever. After all, a murder is enough to spark up a war and Kyoya's death was the perfect motive to incite the hostilities, which meant that Ryuga was dangerous. Then why in hell was Madoka just gaping at him?

MOVE! MOVE!

Her internal radar went crazy, warning her but she gawped at the white haired lad, body rooted to the spot.

When he was just ten feet away, she realized what was about to happen. Ryuga grabbed her arm and pushed her inside. His strong hold caused Madoka to wince in pain. Throwing the brunette on the nearby sofa, he grunted and locked the door.

Flabbergasted, Madoka did not dare move, her mind desperately trying to find an escape. In her periphery, she spotted her bag and its contents spilled on the floor. Phone… She had to call Gingka.

Gulping, she tried to slowly reach for it.

"Yeah, I have her." Ryuga informed. "I DON'T NEED FUCKING REINFORCEMENTS! YOU THINK I CAN'T PULL OFF A BLOODY KIDNAPPING?!"

Kidnapping? Madoka hurried for the phone. Success. Grasping the phone she typed in the number.

"What are you doing, love?" Ryuga asked amused by her attempt to call for help.

 _Shit!_

Without looking in his direction, Madoka did the first thing that plopped in her mind. Run.

Madoka headed for the backdoor as fast as she could but naturally Ryuga was faster and it was not long before she was in his brutal clutches. She thrashed her arms around but Ryuga's grip only tightened as he dragged her back into the living room. Screaming, Madoka demanded him to let go of her. In return the lad just smirked and clamped a hand around her mouth as he pinned her against the wall. She bit his hand and Ryuga backed away, shocked at Madoka's retaliation. Rage quickly replaced his astonishment and he grabbed her from her hair and pulled her close.

"TRY THAT EVER AGAIN AND I SWEAR I WILL CUT OFF YOUR PRETTY LITTLE LIPS!"

A whimper escaped her and Ryuga lifted a gun to her head.

"You are seriously lucky he needs you alive! Or you would be dead by now!"

Suddenly, his glare turned into an amused grin. "But who says I can't make you suffer."

He shot her leg. Her scream reverberated in the air. Tears rolled down Madoka's cheeks as she tried to bear the stinging twinge but was unsuccessful. The pain surged through her thighs and she fell headfirst onto the ground.

Ryuga crouched down and pressed a cloth to her mouth. Trying her best to struggle away, she succumbed to the chemical as it numbed her senses and she felt her world fade away.

"Let's have fun, shall we?"

* * *

Regaining consciousness, Madoka realized she was could not move. Her hands were secured with metal chains with their other end fixed at the wall. Her eyes oscillated like a pendulum to and fro, trying to make out where she was but she was met with only darkness. The throbbing in her thigh had seized remarkably, if she didn't know better she thought that it might have been treated. Wincing, she moved her leg. Bloody hell, It was bandaged.

"Finally awake?" Ryuga asked.

Startled by the raspy voice, Madoka tried to make out from where it came from. It was a little far but not too far, slightly from her left.

"Hahaha! She's gonna give you the silent treatment."

Madoka did not recognize the second voice.

"SHUT UP DAMIAN!"

Damian? The name sounded familiar. Then Madoka remembered. He was Kyoya's ally; he helped Kyoya escape from prison.

The door suddenly opened to reveal the two lads at the corner of the room. A teen with orange hair and tan skin entered and stared at Madoka. She gaped back. He had weird symbols or tattoos across his face which kind of resembled the tribal patterns. His eyes were stern and hard to read and weirdly familiar. A strange aura of hate and revenge surrounded the lad however his posture was calm and composed. He seemed to be the one in charge because the moment he entered both Ryuga and Damian silenced regardless of the fact he looked younger than both of them.

"Madoka," The juvenile addressed her, "We need to ask you something."

Glaring, Madoka kept up with the defiant silence. She was not going to tell them anything.

"We don't want you to feel… that we are your enemies," He continued, "And for that very purpose I am going to disclose our identities to you." His voice too was awfully familiar.

Madoka just listened. The silhouette swung his arm slightly and suddenly the place lit up. Squinting, Madoka felt the light blind her but as her eyes adjusted to the brightness she saw the lad looking at her from merely fifteen feet.

Nile.

It did make sense. If Kyoya had been with Doji, so would have Nile and Demure. Madoka wondered if Benkei was with them too.

"You and I are…" He swallowed as if he regretted what he was about to say next. "I _were_ Kyoya's friends. You thought that Kyoya was on your side, right? So you should know we were on his side so that makes us on your side too."

Ryuga leaned against the wall, smirking while Damian, who was a short, blue haired lad, stared at her his arms crossed as if analyzing her. She turned to look at Nile once again. She realized that he had bags under his eyes and the way he stood, hands shoved in his pockets made him seem quite younger than he was. Yet, in control.

"Madoka… Please, if you answer some of our questions honestly we will let you go. We have no intention to harm you."

No intention to harm her? Did he forget that they kidnapped her? And gave her a bullet as a welcome present? Her eyes darted over to Ryuga again as he scoffed. Apparently he did not agree to the prisoner being treated nicely. And Madoka knew better than to trust these lads. Nile took a step further.

"Shall we start?"

"What makes you think I would tell you anything?" Madoka said simply.

"We- I trust you. As I believe Kyoya would do the same thing."

Again with the Kyoya excuse. They really wanted the answers.

"I won't tell you anything." Madoka tried to sound calm and confident but her heart was pounding against her ribs so hard that she wouldn't be surprised if it would rupture her skin and come out.

Nile smiled. His smile did not seem fake or rude. It was a genuine slightly amused smile one would give when a child fussed on about getting a toy. Did her persistence seem witty to him?

"I understand that you feel frightened but please-"

"I won't."

Ryuga snickered. "Nile, drop the friendly act. Let's cut the bitch up, she'll surely speak then."

Nile jerked his head around and glared at Ryuga. For a second Madoka actually felt as if Ryuga's statement offended him.

"LEAVE THE ROOM, RYUGA!" Nile ordered.

"What?" Ryuga knitted his brows and gawked at him.

"LEAVE!"

Ryuga could not believe it. Cursing, he stormed out of the room.

"I apologize for Ryuga's insolence."

"I'm still not going to tell you anything."

"Damian," Nile called, "Please take off Madoka's chains."

He pulled a chair and offered Madoka to have it. Hesitantly, Madoka sat. Her hands were strained from the pull exerted by the shackles and she slowly massaged them by rubbing her wrists. However, her sapphire orbs were still fixated on Nile. Her mind was instructing her body to brace herself for any kind of physical punishment. Nile sat on a stool opposite to her.

For a minute silence hung heavy in the air as the both sides calculated and scrutinized the other.

"Did Gingka kill Kyoya?" Nile asked.

His question brought sudden agony to her. An aching she was trying to avoid and bury, now was beginning to cut through her skin and gush out of her.

"…Y-Yes." She had officially accepted it. She had said it out loud for the first time since its occurrence. How long had it been? A month… For a month she tried to deny the bitter truth but now it was out. Though, she had no idea why she answered him but she felt a weird kind of relief as if an enormous burden had been lifted off her shoulders; that her misery had lessened somehow.

"Is Gingka planning to fight with Doji?"

"Yes."

"Does he know the location of the Headquarters?"

"No."

"Does Gingka have the police's support?"

"Yes."

With each question, the burden diminished further. Madoka began to feel safer like she felt around Kyoya. Nile reminded her so much of him. How he dealt with situations, concentrating on reason rather than emotion. The more he questioned her she realized he was just a teenager working to save the ones he cared about, not so different from them. Maybe he _was_ on her side. Maybe he was not a threat. Maybe… if she tried she could prevent any more spill of blood. There was still hope.

"You can leave…"

"W-what?" Madoka asked. She thought she might have misheard him.

"You can leave. If you want I can personally escort you. I'm once again sorry for any kind of inconvenience." He eyed the white cloth wrapped on her leg. "Ryuga doesn't really consider you as an ally. I, on the other hand, know better."

"I… uh-" Madoka was wordless.

"Damian, please ask Demure to arrange for travel. We need to take Madoka back."

Damian looked as perplexed as Madoka. Nile was going to let her leave? Just like that? What was he thinking? The sky blue haired lad left the room still pondering over Nile's decision.

When Damian left, Nile held a handkerchief out.

"I'm sorry but I can't disclose our location. This is simply chloroform. It doesn't have any harmful side effects. You need to take this."

There it was…

The ultimate test of faith, trust and reliance. She took the hankie, enveloped her mouth with it and inhaled deeply.

Spinning. Everything around her was revolving and soon she passed out.

* * *

Waking up, she found herself tucked in. Considering the possibility of this a being a dream she got up but the parchment caught her eye. A letter was left on her bedside.

" _Thank you Madoka, for your co-operation. Kyoya was indeed right about you. And I believe he did the right thing disobeying his orders."_

Yup, everything happened. Groaning, she crumbled the note and went downstairs. Her leg felt much better, she occasionally limped a little, other than that and a slight pain it felt quite good.

Mouth agape, she stopped.

Gingka stood along with Masamune and King instructing the officers. The whole area was decorated with police tape.

"Madoka you are awake…" King said as he caught glimpse of the amazed brunette.

"Yes…"

Gingka turned around and leaped over to her. Wrapping his arms around her, he started asking of her well being.

"Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"I'm fine, Gingka." She broke free from his grip. She felt disgusted and mortified at the same time.

"Madoka, please…"

Then it dawned upon her.

"How did you know?"

"I saw your tracker. So I called you and you didn't pick-"

"Wait! TRACKER? I have a tracker on me? You installed a tracking device and you never told me?" She glared at him.

Masamune whispered to King, "Gingka is in trouble, now."

"Madoka, it was for your own safety and you should be happy. We now know their location due to your help. We are ready."

With widened eyes, Madoka realized the severity of what 'ready' meant. Gingka was going to march over with a police force and blow everyone out of the sky.

* * *

"They have taken the bait."

* * *

 **A/N: Okay so i kinda wrote this in a hurry so it ain't my best. I wanted to get something out there cx i might not be able to write for a while. Exams... *sighs***

 **Ah well... But i hope you enjoyed. Until next time... xD**


	17. Chapter 17

**WISHFUL THINKING**

"So we should go from the other side?" Masamune asked.

"Yes. That way we will still have the element of surprise if things don't turn out right." Gingka replied.

"The arrangements for the ammo are made." King informed.

"Good."

"Gingka, don't you think we are acting hastily? We still don't know if their headquarters are actually there. If they are sensible they would not take Madoka to their HQ." King stated.

"I know, but it's worth a shot."

"Gingka, come to think of it, he is right. They have not openly done something except for Madoka's kidnapping so is our attack wise?" Dynamis countered.

The guardian had travelled to aid his comrades as soon as he heard about the recent 'situation'. He stood at the left leaning against the wall. The room they occupied had a wooden table and a few chairs in the middle with a bunch of papers and files covering the whole top. The redhead sat on the table while the dark haired lad seated himself opposite to him on a scruffy stool.

"And I wouldn't call it a kidnapping, she came back unharmed. They even bandaged her leg…" Masamune threw in his two cents.

"You wanted them to harm her now?!" Gingka bellowed.

"You do not understand the purpose of his statement. What he means is that it could be a trap. Maybe they want us to go there. What guarantee do we have that we are not walking into an ambush?" The lavender haired lad explained.

"Look they need info. They stole the confidential files. They contain all information related to us and the B-" Peculiarly looking at his phone, Gingka picked it up, "Hey. How are you, Zeo?"

 _'Gingka, they're here! They have taken Toby!'_

"Who has?"

 _'Chao Xin and Da Xiang!'_

"What?"

 _'I- They kept saying that they knew what we did and they would take revenge. I don't even know what they are talking about. They just kept bellowing and then grabbed Toby. Man, they have guns and shit. I'm worried about Toby. Weren't they our fr-'_

"Zeo? ZEO?"

Several gunshots and screaming resonated through his ear drums until the line went dead.

"ZEO!? ZEO!" Gingka shouted as he jolted out of his seat.

"What is it?" Masamune asked frantically running over to him.

"Chao Xin and Da Xiang are the part of their bloody union! They got Zeo and Toby."

* * *

Crashing down onto the ground the redhead looked over at the two Chinese lads. Lips twisted into malignant smirks, they hurled him outside.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"Gingka should have thought twice before getting his hands dirty." Chao Xin threw Zeo in the trunk and locked it.

Banging against the top of the confinement he was trapped into, Zeo cursed. "LET ME OUT!"

* * *

"We need to go get him!"

"Masamune, we can't just go to America! It's not like they will keep him at his place."

"I DON'T KNOW! They just- GOD KNOWS WHAT THEY DID TO THEM," Masamune growled as he flung his arms in the air.

"Masamune…"

"I don't even give a fucking damn! I'm going. Call Ryo," Masamune turned to advance to the door.

"MASAMUNE!"

"Don't! Did you just wait and watch when they took Madoka?! NO! They are like my brothers. I grew up with them, Gingka. I care about them more than you care about anyone on this stupid earth! I don't care if it's a trick or I won't find them or whatever! I won't have them getting battered over something they don't even know about!"

"He is right, Masamune," Dynamis tried to counteract his statement as he rested his hand on his shoulder and soothingly continued. "You need to-"

Flinching away as tears lined his eyes he snarled, "Just DON'T! Those two have no hand in this! They shouldn't be punished!"

"But they do. They are-"

"ON OUR FUCKIN' SIDE?! IS THAT IT, GINGKA?!" Masamune roared as he made way for the redhead and shoved him. "If anything, and I mean ANYTHING happens to them, you are paying! REMEMBER THAT! I'll come for you and make your life hell!" He turned to leave but suddenly stopped to jerk his head around. "AND THEY ARE NO ONE'S SIDE! THEY WANT YOU! NOT US! Why the hell should we pay?!"

"Masamune." This time it was King.

"I. Don't. Care," The black haired juvenile snapped. "Not everyone is lucky like his lovely girlfriend! And I would never trust them in the hands of that idiotic Chinese prat! I am going! And I don't need your bloody consent."

With those words said, he stormed out the room grabbing his hood from the desk.

* * *

"So?"

"Everything is going like we planned." The orange haired teen informed.

"Is that Masamune kid going to look for his friends?"

Damian was the one to reply. "Yes."

"Good."

"When do we get our hands on him?" Ryuga questioned.

"You need to learn patience, Ryuga. We just need to get the others away."

"And when he is all alone and broken we will strike." Damian beamed a wicked smile etching across his face.

With the monocle glinting in the dim light, Doji's eyes gleamed with deviant malevolence as he looked at the two American juveniles strapped to statures with crude knives and scalpels facing them while they struggled and squirmed.

"Indeed."

* * *

Gingka ran a hand through his hair as he slumped down on the sofa. Head lolling back, a sigh escaped the redhead's lips. He looked over at her door. His sight lingered while his heart sank. Slowly, one by one, all of the people he thought close to him were beginning to doubt him. Since when did his life become so messed up? Being in control, being the light in utter darkness now seemed to be a joke to him. All he felt now was the engulfing pain and helplessness. He was going down all alone with no one to help him up, to support him, to show him the way. The thought of drowning, sinking with no hope to return made his heart clench and his breath hitched.

He heard her scream.

Heaving a deep sigh, he got up and knocked on her door. "Madoka?"

Her sobs resonated in the air.

"Madoka, please." His head rested on the door, "Please. Open this door."

"G-go away!"

"How long do you plan to keep this up?" His lips were quivering. "Let me in. Please, Madoka…"

"Just… J-just leave! I don't n-need you."

"Madoka…"

"I said-" A sniff. "Leave!"

The hand on the handle loosened its grip as the redhead took a step back. Same routine, same words, same old pain, same. It was just another day. Biting his lower lip, he turned glancing at the door wishing she would just…

Wishful thinking had gotten him broken and shattered.

* * *

Blood.

Everywhere.

Quaking, trembling, shivering… his whole body was subjected to tremors of horror and panic. Crouching on the ground helplessly, he gaped at the picture. A scream threatened to leave his dry and sore throat as he saw them.

Zeo…

Toby…

His eyes flooded with tears, crushing him as they cascaded down.

Getting up, the picture slipped from his palms and he leaned against the wall, just staring into nothingness.

 _'Tell Gingka this is what happens when he kills one of ours.'_

* * *

"Hello?"

"Madoka?"

"Hello, Nile."

Nile stared at her clearly shocked to see the brunette waiting at the door and he sipped his coffee in an attempt to keep himself composed. Her cheeks were smudged and wet, her eyes swollen. She had been crying, he concluded, a lot at that.

"Can I help you?" Nile straightened up, trying to read her as she shivered and shook her head.

A crease of eyebrows. "Uh… Okay?"

"I want to help."

The tattooed lad almost choked on his coffee. "Sorry?"

"I'll help you against Gingka."

* * *

 **A/N:** **Okay, this was a short one... The next one is already written soo... I'll be updating soon... IA. x'D And i apologise for any mistakes. I wrote this chappie loooong ago and have gone through it so many times while writing that i was not in the mood to read it again. Yeah, that happens too... i don't wanna read what i write. Especially, when the beautiful novel 'The Rule Of Thoughts' by James Dashner is sitting eagerly beside you, you don't care what the shuck is wrong with your writing. You wanna leap back to that literary beauty eyeing you. Anywho.. i hope you still enjoyed. Until later... :3**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I pulled off the early update thing though my conscience keeps nagging me to update late. What can I say? She's a lazy couch potato… Anyway, I really had fun writing this chapter. I hope you enjoy too.**

* * *

 **CONSCIENCE**

Clenching her fists, Madoka slammed the door shut. He would not let her. Why?

 _'Madoka, you don't understand.'_

 _'I do. I thought over this and I have made my decision.'_

 _'I wouldn't allow it.'_

 _'What?'_

 _'Madoka, you are too emotionally invested in all of this and you are not thinking clearly. You should go home.'_

 _'But…'_

 _'Please, Madoka. Trust me. You need to rest. You have taken Kyoya's… well you should really get some rest. And seriously, stay away from all of this… I would not disclose that you came.'_

 _'Why would you not let me help? Gingka would never doubt me!' She was trembling and her voice croaking._

 _'That is why you need to stay by his side.'_

 _'W-what?'_

 _'Please, Madoka. This is what Kyoya would have wanted. Don't you think?'_

What did she think?

She had no idea. He was gone and she was left devastated. Bringing up her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around her, desperately trying to comfort herself. Oh, how much she needed him. Closing her eyes, she lied down on the ground.

Cold…

…Hard.

Salvation. The only source was gone. She could feel his caress against her cheek and her grip tightened. The warmth that radiated from him made her feel comforted, melted the ice in her heart and had the power to mend her shattered soul. The ache was swallowing her up, she was falling and tumbling. Her lids opened and her brown orbs searched.

He was not there to save her.

"Madoka?"

Detestation and abhorrence grasped her when she heard her name let loose from those lips. It was not rage that fueled her, it was disappointment and she turned her head away. She would never forgive. Ever…

Gingka sprawled down against the door on the opposite side. "I need you, Madoka."

Never.

* * *

"Masamune."

"Stop pestering him, Hikaru," King literally shooed her away and she grunted while stomping away leaving the two lads.

The black haired lad was clutching onto his hoodie as he leaned against the sill, gazing outside. It was dawn. A plethora of various blue and violets lined the sky, swishing swashing all over the horizon. White light was taking over the darkness, chasing it away. The buildings on his right were glistening as the morning light was reflected from off the windows. There was hardly anyone in sight as if no life encompassed the streets. They felt dead. How ironic?

"We will get them out. Don't lose hope." King claimed as he stood beside his comrade trying to pacify him.

Masamune did not reply, just sighed.

"We are leaving." Gingka declared as he came inside. All eyes met his gaze except Masamune's, who continued to gawp outside.

Gingka stared at the lad, deciding whether to say something or not and concluded that the latter seemed like a wiser choice. Running his hands over his rumpled shirt, his golden brown orbs studied his friend. His tricoloured hair was disheveled more than usual. His eyes had deep bags under them and his shirt was scrunched up and curled as he rested his head on one of his flexed knees. Gingka saw the plate of food still lying where he had left it. Masamune had not eaten since he had gotten the message despite the begging and pleading from his friends. Everything about him seemed distorted and wrecked. Overall, he looked like a mess.

Gingka knew that he was powerless and incapable of aiding him to ease his pain. He was petrified when he had known that Madoka was taken but she came back unharmed. Zeo and Toby were not 'so lucky' as his comrade had already pointed out and each second that they wasted his friends went through immense torture.

"Masamune, you want to come or you rather stay?" Gingka finally asked but he was sure he already knew. No matter how worse his situation was, Masamune was going to try to save them. The redhead already was becoming aware of the fact that his friend's trust in him was diminishing as each day passed and Masamune was not to blame for that. Maybe in his position he would have thought the same. After all, Gingka had not only failed to save Toby and Zeo but had given him false hope in regard to the situation and lies were something that the lad did not appreciate.

Frozen like a sculpture, Masamune still did not look back.

"Masamune?"

He stood up from the window for the first time during the past forty six hours. Eyes bloodshot, he ran a hand through his hair and without a word made way towards the redhead. Gingka felt relieved to see the lad out of his trance and shot a smile at him. Alas, he was met with a stern glare as Masamune snatched the papers from his hand and skimmed through them.

A sigh escaped Gingka. _Still mad? Ah well, he was still not going to blame him._

"Why are just four people going?" Masamune asked. His voice came out as a croak as if it had been rusty because of the lack of use. But it was progress compared to the silence Gingka was met with before.

"We are keeping the team to a minimum. It will be me, Hikaru, Dynamis and you." He paused. "If you wanna go, that is. And I'm not going to force you, Masamune. You don't ha-"

Masamune held up his hand silencing him. "Spare me the stupid lecture of what's good for me." His voice was unnaturally nonchalant and cold. "What is King to do when we are gone?"

"Well, our priority is to get Toby and Zeo out," Gingka informed trying to get any reaction close to relief in the teen's posture at his words but when Masamune did not budge he continued, "but we also will try to talk to Nile and Ki-"

"Why?" Masamune asked still staring at the papers without even an ounce of concentration to what Gingka was saying as if this conversation was meaningless and totally unimportant.

"Madoka said he was on _our_ side."

The stress on 'our' was meant to be a silent message but Masamune was far less concerned about anything that left the redhead's mouth and what came ahead made Gingka question if Masamune really was even in his circle of just a mere acquaintance too. "Your."

It was not supposed to hurt as much it did, but the way the lad just distinguished his place in all of this felt like as if a jagged scalpel cut through his flesh crudely, raking through his skin, digging in. The word stung like acid, corrosive and toxic gnawing through his flesh and bone, impaling and eating him away.

First Madoka, now Masamune.

Gingka could feel an emptiness drown his heart; it was as if a hole had been drilled into him, an unfathomable scar that would never fade. Gulping, he gaped at his friend who now even refused to become his ally. What did he do to deserve this?

Quickly regaining his composure by faking a smile, Gingka brushed off the thought and slightly nodded, "And that's where King comes in. While we are going to get Zeo and Toby out, King will hack into-"

"You mean Madoka will…"

"What?"

"I didn't go deaf over the last two days, Gingka. I know you brought Madoka to hack into the files to get an idea of what Doji's next plan is. King will be simply accompanying her. We aren't going there to save Zeo and Toby. We are going to get Nile to cooperate. We need someone on the inside and he was closest to Kyoya which means that he might work with _you_." He spat out.

That was precisely the plan but they _were_ primarily going there to save Zeo and Toby. Nile's support was something they hoped to achieve by their short visit as a secondary benefit of the trip but each time Masamune said something it felt like a brutal attack leaving Gingka defenseless and victimized. Gingka wanted him to come back to the chirpy lad always aiding him through dark times, instead he had become the oppressor revealing his wounds and salting them.

He wanted to explain that was not the case but the seed of frustration sowed deep within him spurted. No matter how much he tried Masamune would find a way to mock him once again and he was tired of being ridiculed, held at the rope's end as a criminal. He was trying and there are always limits to one's capabilities. They captured Zeo and Toby but he did not ask them to. _It wasn't his fault!_

"YES! We are going there for Nile _only_! He is our priority, not Zeo and Toby! They have no clue as to what is happening nor do they know anything about Doji and therefore, they are of no use to us- no sorry, no use to ME!" Gingka growled.

Masamune looked up at him, shocked. His eyes widened at the redhead's words as Gingka continued, "My only priority is to get the message to Nile which is the only reason why I brought Madoka into this. I wouldn't let her get in harm's way otherwise. Now she, _she_ is of use to me and therefore, ensuring her safety is my foremost duty."

All of his body, each muscle, each vein, every part of his conscience urged him not to continue, to shut his bloody hole, but with thoughts flaring he channeled his aggravation into words that he knew were false, and spat them at the dark haired lad.

"And since Zeo and Toby are of no use to me."

 _Don't!_

"Their safety is not of my concern."

 _SHUT UP! SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!_

"And I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM!"

His head swung to his right as Masamune's fist connected and not expecting the punch caused him to crash into the ground.

Masamune gritted his teeth and jerked the redhead up from his collar.

"WHAT?!"

King and Dynamis watched dumfounded as Masamune dragged Gingka across the floor and pounded him against the wall over and over.

"YOU DON'T CARE, RIGHT? THEY AREN'T OF ANY USE?! YOU BLOODY BASTARD!"

Dynamis was the first one to snap out his daze and he rushed forward to help. Pummeling over and over, Masamune's fist battered the redhead senseless. Masamune was panting, his knuckles white due to the force with which he had clenched them when the guardian hurled him away.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

And he sprung at him again.

He battered him over and over, fists curled and banging against his jaw, cheek, nose — whatever connected first, until he felt the life drain away from him. All his body was trembling and lips were quivering. He felt weak and helpless as tears cascaded down his eyes and he looked at the redhead. He would have given his life for him, for his cause, for their friendship and this is what he did?! He had revealed who he really was. A selfish, despicable and egocentric fink!

Masamune was crouching, his fingers splayed on the ground trying to support himself as he sobbed realising his mistake. He had trusted him with everything and he was a fool. Gingka gawped at him as he groaned being helped by Dynamis away from the raven haired lad.

Masamune just kept staring at the floor, tears gushing through his eyes, pain stabbing at him with vicious needles and that is when he concluded he was alone. No one was to be trusted. No one. And if he was going to safe Zeo and Toby he would have to do it by himself. Looking back at the redhead, hurt and pained, he stood up.

The two comrades stared at each other, trying to comprehend the other's next move. They analysed and judged each other's steps, movements and postures. Defiance and loathing reflected from both their eyes, the brown earthly colours brothers but the owners enemies.

Masamune was the first one to look away, as he turned and left the room, leaving Gingka, his friend and brother, behind.

* * *

Confused, he stared at the blue haired lad smirking at him.

"It's a fine deal, I must say."

Gulping, he replied. "If I do this, you will let them go, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Masamune reached out to shake his hand.

"Welcome to the Union, Kadoya," Damian stated as he shook his hand back with a spiteful glee.

* * *

 **A/N: So... hehehe... Maybe i am crazy...? But ruining Gingka's oh-so-pure nature is so much fun... :'3**


	19. Chapter 19

**Cuts**

He internally cringed as he looked around the room. The familiar eyes gaped back and he gulped.

"Masamune," he acknowledged. "I see you accepted the offer Damian was sent to you with."

"Only if you let them go."

"Yes."

His voice was strained, Masamune noticed, and wary of him. He looked tired really exhausted and drenched of all life but ever composed. If Masamune had known the lad well personally he might never have recognized the way he was struggling to stand like rest was wrenched from his clutches. The patterns inking his skin considerably hid the dark crescents adorning his eyes but he still looked weak due to the lack of proper nutrition and sleepless nights. He took a step away from him and stood behind the wooden chair, hands resting on it. Masamune knew the look all too well, when he looked at him with an icy cold gaze, concealing a hurricane of rage and pain behind a mask of indifference.

Damian approached them and handed Masamune a slip.

"What's this?"

"Your first task," Nile said exasperated as if he was tired of just the thought of explaining any further but he did anyway. "We need to prove ourselves as starters. You are no exception. It will identify your strengths and weaknesses and position you in the Union accordingly."

"First, you release them."

A scoff left Damian's lips.

"We will. But you must first go through the procedure. You do this for us and swear your allegiance only then will we let them go."

"But you said-"

"That they will be released and they will. I keep my promises, Masamune."

"You will let them go first-"

"I am afraid you are in no position to argue. If you want them alive, you will have to comply with our rules."

Masamune gritted his teeth, the slip crumbling in his balled fists as he hissed indignantly. "Fine."

* * *

"Hello, Madoka."

The lilac haired lad gave her a subtle smile as he made his way inside. It was a chilly day and the cold winter breeze was swiftly brushing against the little flower pots Madoka kept on her window sill. He looked at the petals swaying in the wind, exposed and helpless, and sighed.

Her question broke his reverie.

"How are you, Dynamis?"

"I am well," he replied a little too optimistically then sobered, "I must ask, what about you? How are you holding up?"

"I am okay," Madoka said as her lips curled remorsefully.

"Yes," He said, distracted. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Hmm?" Madoka looked at him questioningly as she strutted over to him holding out a cup of tea for him to take as he seated himself on the sofa.

He took it, nodding gratefully. She sat across him, looking at him expectantly and he pursed his lips readying the phrases to use to convey the proper message. "It's about Gingka."

* * *

He kept staring at the slip over and over again. Of course they could not release them.

Both his childhood friends were cuffed, the leather straps digging painfully into their abnormally pale skin. He rushed in their direction, hands desperately trying to remove the obstructive transparent wall blocking his path to them.

Damian grinned. "The entrance is this way, Kadoya."

"How could-"

"They are alive."

"ALIVE?! Let them out! Let them out now!"

"After you complete your task," Damian said unflappably as he opened the door, urging and daring Masamune to enter at the same time.

Masamune looked at the slip and then up at the two lads he considered to be his brothers and then at the scalpel in his hand.

A shrug. "It won't hurt them, Kadoya."

* * *

She tensed.

"He deserves it."

"Madoka, you need to understand. He needs you, your help. You have known him since you were just kids and loved-"

"I don't love him!" She spat, outraged, and Dynamis flinched. "He is a monster! A monster, Dynamis! He doesn't think, doesn't _feel_ anything! He just uses people and disregards them. He thinks only of his own purpose, his needs. I… don't love him. I can never… ever _love_ him. I won't help him. I won't help you."

Dynamis watched her as she wiped the trail of tears meandering down her cheeks, shaking her head repeatedly. "I a-am done. What Masamune did is right! He took a step for his friends, the people he cares about when he didn't. Gingka only cares about _himself_! I d-don't love him. I will never l-love him."

Biting his lip, the redhead's eyes glistened with the watery pain threatening to burst. "I know…"

Madoka's lips parted and she jerked her head around.

She was staring at him, astonished, as he propped himself against the sofa, features strained with an abnormal sense of frustration.

"I am not asking you to help me for me. Help me for Kyoya."

* * *

Doji watched the black haired teen walking over into the room, the white pools of light surrounding him as a dim shadow trailed behind him. Damian stood at the door, as it was instructed.

Adjusting his monocle, he tilted his head, intrigued whether the naïve juvenile would do the task or not.

He kept advancing towards the lads. They were unconscious, he was told, and would not feel a thing. Standing beside them, he stared at them. And then he looked back, right at him through the one-way mirror as if he could spot him out.

Doji's gaze searched his. He was looking towards him but not at him and then his orbs flickered over to Damian sourly. A smirk etched itself across the man's face as he looked at shivering hands of his new recruit.

A mere cut.

He lifted the scalpel up and then brought it down, burying it in the unconscious redhead's arm.

All it required was a mere cut.

* * *

"Don't you talk about him! Don't you dare say his name!"

Gingka closed his eyes bathing in the daggers of hatred that escaped her lips.

"You are vile! You are evil, Gingka Hagane! Evil! Without any sort of conscience and and don't think you're anymore than just that!"

Aggravation clawed at him as he stood up. They did not know the truth, none of them did. They only saw what they wanted to see. "Stop it, Madoka!"

She gawped at him.

"Stop it! You are not saying this because you hate me or the fact that you believe I killed him. You are saying this because you love him so don't act like you care about if I have a _conscience_. This is more than just you, or me, or _him_!"

"Get out of my house."

His hand ran through his hair as he sighed exasperated with everything. "Madoka, you aren't-"

"Get out of my house!"

Dynamis, who was watching the two argue and pour out all their frustrations, now grabbed Gingka's arm and tried to pull him back.

They were face to face, fists clenched at their sides as they stared at each other, the tension palpable.

"Get out." She snarled.

The redhead shook his head and complied with the consistent tug pulling him towards the door.

"Not everything is what it seems, Madoka."

* * *

Masamune watched Toby's arm as a thin line of red liquid slowly trickled out of the cut. He just had to make a box, a square. He just…

It was a stupid task and it could not hurt him much anyway. It would heal. It will heal.

His skin was cold to the touch when Masamune grabbed his friend's wrist to steady himself. Cold… He looked back at Damian. He said they were alive and unharmed. They looked fine. They looked okay and healthy, he told himself. They were okay.

He moved the scalpel to etch another line.

That's when he stopped.

And screamed.

* * *

 **A/N: Ooh... it's been long. Apologies. And a huge thanks to Kyoya Tategami's fan for urging me to update rather than uselessly gaping at the laptop screen. I think 3 to 4 more chapters (before the epilogue) and then I'll be done with this.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Haze**

The brunette sat down in her bed mulling over what just occurred.

" _You are saying this because you love him so don't act like you care about if I have a_ _conscience_."

She closed her eyes, resting her head on her pillow, cradling it protectively.

" _Madoka, you need to understand. He needs you, your help."_

She looked at the door, expecting his amber eyes peaking in and that sweet and lazy grin spreading over his lips.

She took a deep breath.

He moved in, ruffling his red hair, his gaze set on her. "Madoka?"

She closed her eyes again trying not to break from this reverie.

"Madoka."

She shivered, a chill raking her like an icy bone grazing her skin. He was not here.

A click.

He was holding a gun.

She gulped.

Another familiar voice rang through her ears, one she yearned to hear.

"It's okay."

She opened her lids, slowly, trying to convince herself that she was dreaming. But he was there. He was there. He was so close, just right in front of her. Her teary eyes blurred her vision. He was not… He just was not here...

"Kyoya…"

The redhead halted, his tawny eyes looking at the pistol in his hands and then at her as if through a glass.

His head was bent low, the blue of his eyes glistening like a polished mirror from under the bangs covering his eyes. He stood behind the redhead, his gaze fixed on her.

Gingka sighed, walking towards her and stood beside her, body tense and rigid.

" _I did this to me, to you. To us_."

They both were facing each other and the redhead's arm lightly brushed against Madoka. A shudder ran through her body.

" _Believe you? How do you expect us to believe?!_ "

A slow smirk spread across his lips and Madoka's heart leaped. He looked up.

" _Madoka, you should leave."_

The redhead dropped the gun.

" _You were wrong. He's on our side!"_

Kyoya lifted his hand, the gun now held in his hand.

" _GINGKA NO! PLEASE! HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH!_ "

The shot rang through her ears and she curled, her hands covering her ears, eyes closing shut.

" _You and I are… I_ were _Kyoya's friends_."

She knew.

" _You thought Kyoya was on your side, right?"_

The crimson was soaking through the cloth spreading like a haphazard splatter and she knew.

" _So you should know that we were on his side_."

A thump. She could not bring herself to accept the pain.

" _That makes us on your side_."

Two arms wrapped around her to console her and ease her pain as they always did. She looked at Gingka who was smiling at her, a subtle and beautiful curve of his lips.

" _Are you okay? They didn't hurt you, did they?_ "

The conspicuous red was dripping down, she knew, it was. It always was.

"It's okay," he said. Like he always did.

" _That is why you need to stay by his side."_

She looked at the ground where his body lay. Blood was surrounding him like a blanket, as if he was asleep; only sleeping as if he would wake up any second.

" _Please, Madoka. This is what Kyoya would have wanted, don't you think?_ "

His white hair was soaked from the red escaping his body and the brown of his eyes was vacant and dry, life wrenched from them─ from him.

" _Everything is not what it seems, Madoka_."

* * *

Damian dragged him outside, hurling him through the hallway as he continued screaming and thrashing like a madman.

"KADOYA?!" He shoved him in the room. "What the hell happened?"

He had started screaming as he scrambled back to the wall banging on the glass like a maniac, shouting for help on top of his lungs.

"GET AWAY!"

"Calm down!" Damian tried to approach him, hand reaching for him but he lashed out so Damian stepped back.

Ruffling his sky-blue hair by running a hand through them, Damian looked wearily at Masamune. His breathing was laboured and his eyes kept darting as if he was unable to focus on one thing constantly.

The Chinese lad came in, eyes taking in Masamune with unguarded amusement when he slid down against the wall, breathing in shallow pants.

"Doji says he's under your wing," Chao Xin informed.

"What?! Why?"

A shrug. "Dunno."

Damian glared at Masamune who seemed to be lost in his own world, not really paying attention to either of them. He stomped outside, enraged.

"Keep an eye on him," Damian announced before slamming the door shut.

"Roger."

* * *

She reached out, hand hovering over the door knob. She would do this. She would─ can do this. Heaving a frustrated sigh, she willed herself to finally clutch the knob, fingers curling with a shake. She would prove him wrong.

The redhead turned, not able to hide the astonishment at the sight of the brunette.

"Madoka, I─"

"I'll help," She cut him off, and when his eyes gleamed with contentment she added, "For Kyoya."

He nodded, a knowingly intriguing smile curling his lips, "For Kyoya…"

* * *

"What do you mean?!"

"Exactly what I said, boy," Doji said as he contemplatively looked at the two lads lying on the beds, strapped.

"But─ this─ I did everything you asked of me. Why is he─"

"I am afraid he is valuable and I need you to keep an eye on him," Doji replied imperturbably.

"Val─ what? How is _he_ valua─"

"Are you questioning me, Damian?"

The question was uttered sternly as Doji's austere gaze turned to glare at the lad beside him.

"No," he acknowledged, jaws grinding and fists clenched.

"Very well," Doji nodded, "You are to leave now. I have some work that needs to be done and you should start the basic training with the newest member on your team."

Damian left with rage roiling within him, "Valuable," he scoffed, "He'll beg for death after I am done with him."

* * *

Chao Xin bent down, crouching down to look at the petrified lad in front of him. A smirk slowly spread across his lips as he hurled him up.

"Oh, Masamune."

His fist was raised and curled into a firm ball.

"What was it you did when we 'accidentally' hit Zeo?"

The Chinese lad smashed his opponent against the wall.

"Thought you were all that, huh?"

A punch. A groan.

"You pathetic─"

Another brutal punch. A weak attempt to push him away.

"─insolent─"

A kick. A pained gasp.

"─stupid excuse for─"

A jerky push. A staggering step.

"Get off me, you fucking wanker!"

An answering punch. A block and sudden twisting action of his arm.

His body crashed against the wall where Chao Xin pinned him. His knee painfully dug in his back and his head was repeatedly hit against the wall until his nose bled. A grunt escaped his lips as he reached back and clawed at his opponent's face digging painfully, pushing him back.

"What the fuck is going on?!"

Damain's voice cut through the aggravated grunts and taunts echoing between the two lads. A hand curled around Chao Xin's shoulder and jerked him away from Masamune whose face was a contorted mess of pain and blood.

Chao Xin growled, chest heaving in pants as he shoved Damian's hand off his shoulder. "Get your fu─"

"Out," Damian ordered.

Chao Xin stood still, glaring at Masamune.

"I said out!" Damian announced sternly.

With a scoff, Chao Xin made way for the door. "We're not done, Kadoya."

* * *

"W-what is this, Gingka?"

She looked at the screens, horrified.

"The only way."

"This," She scoffed, "Is ridiculous."

Dynamis's lips curled at the brunette's view. "I am afraid Gingka is right, this is the easiest way."

"You can't be sure─ Masamune might not even be taken there." Madoka suggested gaping at the screen as her eyes darted over to her blue haired companion.

Hikaru chuckled. "We are sure, Madoka. All the preparations are made."

"What if─ you d-don't─ what if you are wrong. You need a backup plan. You haven't even talked to Nile. What if he doesn't─ if he doesn't what will you do? Huh, Gingka," She asked, stammering the words hastily. "This… this is not─ this is not in any way foolpr─ this is utterly foolish, Gingka Hagane. I do not agree to this."

A wicked and crazed grin played on his lips and Madoka shook her head in despair knowing what was about to come.

"I know. That is why Doji will never expect it."

* * *

 **A/N:** Status: Feeling evil with Gingka Hagane. (*°.°*)


	21. Chapter 21

**Close**

It was chaos.

She had told him─ told him almost countless times with incessant emphasis that it would not work, but Gingka had refused to acknowledge any of her warnings.

She was running with blatant panic twisting her features.

Her breath came in short pants, her eyes dilated into fathomless pools of azure and her heart clenched–constricted by an unknown force with pain and fear. Her gaze settled at the dark hissing avalanche of wispy black with the auburn flickers of flame rising and licking up the building and the numbing wave of loss struck her so hard that her body shook. Tears welled up in her eyes like an unstoppable flood of remorse and cascaded down her cheeks.

"Gingka…" she softly whispered, her voice low, trying to gulp the knot that like a stone obstructed her trachea.

* * *

"You're sure, Gingka?" Madoka chewed on her bottom lip, looking at him unsurely.

He chuckled– a mirth filled sinuous laugh. Some part of her calmed as she heard him, while staring with an unusual touch of longing.

"You worry too much, Madoka."

A pouty sigh. "And apparently you don't."

"Guess not." He grinned, lifting her chin gently. "It'll be fine."

The smile tugged the corners of her lips as she nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The taps of their soles echoed as they made their way through the dingy hallway, their path engulfed in black serenity. His amber orbs skirted to his sides, at his blue haired companion. Both panted as they tried to make their way outside, arms tucked at either sides of their fellow comrade, hurling him outside.

The barely audible screams and shouts still resonated in his ears, the very prominent pants Hikaru heaved, the uncomfortable groans leaving Dynamis due to the strain of pain, the feel of warm red liquid trickling down his temple…

He tried focusing on the task ahead. They needed to get out.

For a second, he thought of his raven-haired friend and the tattooed leader whose whereabouts he knew nothing about, silently praying they would be okay but the damning grazing hold of doubt still clasped its way around his neck accompanied by the steaming jerking surge of regret.

He was so close… so close to victory until all of it had come crashing down.

Closing his eyes shut to gulp down the flood of agitation, Gingka took a deep breath and ran forward towards the soft spill of light appearing like a haven amongst the bedlam that surrounded him.

So close.

* * *

Doji sat in his room, looking smug and contented when the redhead had entered. To Gingka the monocle seemed like a mocking winking object trying to warn him out of this deadly situation but he was not backing down. He was prepared.

"Ah… The great Gingka Hagane, how wonderful for you to finally pay a visit," Doji greeted, his teeth bared into a nasty grin.

Slowly–carefully–Gingka stepped inside the room, eyes skimming the place once, only to rest at the cause of all his pain and anguish.

Before he could say anything, Doji voiced a question, "You are here for your friend, I presume, yes?"

He stayed silent.

Doji smirked.

"Damian has told me a lot about you, you know."

Gingka tensed visibly, his voice distant when he replied, once more looking around the room. "He did?"

The room looked strictly professional excluding any sort of personal paraphernalia that might have indicated any nostalgic references to the older male staring at him. With a few chairs, a cabinet that held nothing more than what seemed like numerous files containing dull paperwork, the room was relatively empty. He sat in front of huge mahogany desk, covered with a glass sheet. The top was not littered, just sported a few documents as Doji looked at him with keen interest.

"Yes," Doji agreed, "About how… painful it was for you to kill one of my most valuable pawns."

A scoff. "Pawns, such a... gratifying choice of words, don't you think?"

His adversary simply snickered at how the young lad in front of him scornfully mimicked his tone trying to ridicule him.

"But not far from the truth, boy."

It was then that Gingka pulled out the gun and Doji face twisted into something akin to unconcealed amusement.

"It is believed that the first kill is always the hardest, after the first endeavour the rest seem easier, maybe even enthralling."

He was smiling wistfully, Doji noticed, eyes downcast at the weapon clutched in his hands.

"Enthralling..." he echoed sardonically.

"Has his death corrupted you that much that you must take another life?"

The challenge was simple and evident, Gingka thought with a defeated sigh, and shattering.

With a smirk, Doji stood from the large leather seat. "You cannot achieve your purpose amongst these premises. Say, you do succeed in killing me, how will you ensure that you'll leave this place unharmed… along with your friends?"

"You don't know, I just might," Gingka countered trying to muster up all the optimism coursing within his veins and coating his words with it.

"He came here willingly, you know," Doji continued ostensibly, ignoring his previous statement, "Masamune, I mean."

The prospect of the word 'willing' still stung though Gingka knew otherwise. He gulped hard. _He's trying to get to me._

"He even harmed the boys he came here for, what were their names? Zeo and Toby, I think? Yes… Zeo and Toby, thinking he was saving them."

Gingka narrowed his eyes trying to avert the shock leaking its way through.

"Pity, yes?"

Gingka, once more, sought the solace of silence.

"He did not even know what he was being asked of, just blinded by what his pathetic mind kept telling him he did it, never thinking of the consequences."

The words like an aching stab of ice hit him. He was not implying…

"He killed them, thinking it would save them."

Almost instinctively he stepped back.

"You know one usually seals his fate by taking the very path he chooses to avoid it."

"Agreed."

Gingka looked up at the familiar voice and gaped at the outstretched hand pointing the gun straight at him.

* * *

Frustrated, he ruffled his sky-blue hair and looked at Masamune. "What did Nile say?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

His eyes narrowed into slits as he ground his jaw, infuriated. "Secrets won't get you anywhere, Kadoya."

Contemptuously he replied, "Being nosy won't get you anywhere, Hart."

In a blink, two hands grasped his collar firmly, smashing him against the wall. "Just because Doji's being an idiot trying to think you're something useful doesn't mean I am not going to batter you senseless until you're snivelling and begging at my feet for mercy."

* * *

The snowy hair was matted and Ryuga looked quite out of shape to say the least. His cheeks were hollow and his frame looked thinner however, his expression never betrayed his determination as he slid his hand and the gun now aimed right at Doji's head.

Gingka blinked as Doji gaped at Ryuga with horror and betrayal etching into his skin like needlework done by the finest weavers.

"What is the meaning of this, Ryuga?"

Another voice reverberated, another gun aimed at the head of the Union. "Exactly what you think."

Doji turned to look at the young lad's stern gaze set on him.

"Nile?"

Gingka felt a smile creep up on his lips at the flabbergasted expression that ghosted Doji's features and he raised his hand too.

Surrounded.

* * *

A thud.

With a cough, he spat, the red liquid staining the ground. A glower mirrored his snarling self as Damian got up to punch the lad grinning smugly at him. It connected.

His head was brutally jostled to the right as he staggered back. Another fierce curled fist made way for Masamune's nose but he dodged it, slamming his body against Damian as they both crashed against the wall. The raven-haired lad struggled to keep his adversary in place as he lashed out, shoving Masamune away.

With a pounce, Damian lunged at Masamune. Hands raised, he tried to counter the effect of the incoming hit. They both fell to the ground.

Clawing at his face as Damian's hands coiled around Masamune's neck in a vice-like grip, Masamune finally jerked his torso up simultaneously stabbing one of Damian's eyes with his fingers.

A howl of a cry left Damian's lips as he released his hold of Masamune.

He shoved him off forcefully.

* * *

Doji's face which previously reflected shock and confusion suddenly morphed into an egotistical and amused expression.

"Siding with _him_ , are we?" Doji spat scornfully. His eyes did not bother to hide the derision when he eyed the redhead. "I expected better from both of you. Especially you, Nile."

He looked at the African lad, disappointment evident.

"Unfortunately all of us are backstabbing bastards," Ryuga crudely replied and Doji's attention snapped back to him.

"Not all of you."

"Yes, yes. Not all of us…"

A shiver ran up Doji's spine as he took in the newest addition to the voices. Paling at the sight of the owner, he gulped, the rippling shock like a bolt from the blue.

"You–" he pointed at him. "You… It can't be…" He stepped back. "Damian said he saw you. They– he–" He was pointing at Gingka and back at the lad again, sputtering helplessly and trembling like he had seen a ghost.

The smirk was already carving itself across his lips as Doji mouthed 'No' over and over and shook his head.

The final gun was raised.

"Surprise."

* * *

The door flew opened and Damian was hurled inside, his face bruised, bottom lip busted open and oozing blood, curses spilling from his lips fervently as he thrashed about and then suddenly stilled at the bewildering sight in front of him.

"Welcome, Damian."

He was shoved and thrown at Doji's feet. Hurriedly regaining his balance and hurling himself up, he gaped at the lad the guns pointed at the two.

"So good of you to join us."

Damian blinked. Once, then twice.

It was not…

His collar was in Doji's grasp as he pointed ahead. "You lied to me?!"

"What? No. N-no," Damian stammered, "He was… I told you exactly what I saw and he– You–"

"Don't be so hard on him, Doji. It is hardly his fault. At least let us explain."

Ryuga chuckled.

"When you gave us our rewards in the form of our 'appreciating' tasks, I went to Kyoya's room, to consult with him of course." He said as a matter-of-factly. "He told me about how he was to kill Madoka… Weird, you would want her to be killed, don't you think? And then there was the matter about sending Chao Xin and Da Xiang after Zeo Abyss."

Nile continued. "We already knew that your purpose behind stealing those papers was not simply search for information. It wasn't a play for gaining knowledge and confidential data."

With a certain amount of smugness Ryuga added, "So we decided to alter the _original plan_."

"It was already evident that you used Damian to keep an eye on your 'loyal subjects'. So we thought why not use that to our advantage?"

"Kyoya was to come at my place with news regarding your 'sinister plans' and inform them to me." Gingka told.

"Damian would follow and we could set up a show."

The next to add information was Nile. "Then when everything would settle down we were to carry out an ambush."

"But, the problem arose when you captured Zeo and Toby…"

"I was never informed of any of this and your plan in creating hostilities between Gingka and I somewhat succeeded when I came here. Gingka was not yet authorised to tell so I never came to know what was going on." Masamune explained.

"I contacted Nile and he told me about Masamune's appearance so I consulted with Gingka."

"So, when Masamune went 'berserk' after reading the message that was handed to him along with the knife and Damian was called over to your office, I sent Chao Xin to inform Masamune of the situation," Nile carried on.

"But of course, we couldn't let Damian get suspicious so Chao Xin beat me up… Of course due to our past rivalries," Masamune snickered.

Doji seethed at the lads looking at him as Nile handed Masamune a gun and the number of potential bullets to come his way increased by one.

Damian growled at the prospect of being fooled so easily and glared at the azure orbs which were gleaming with mischievous glee.

"Didn't see that coming did you, Hart?"

"Even when _everything was planned_? Oh, boy..." Ryuga added, chuckling darkly sneaking a glance at his comrade.

"It was quite clear," Nile said with a restrained amount of satisfaction.

"I killed."

"I died."

"And you watched, thinking everything was going your way."

"While you were busy with Masamune still acting strange… I contacted Gingka and helped him reach this place with a police force which should be arriving any moment now," Nile explained further.

Masamune grinned. "Gotcha."

Ire like a furious devastating hurricane of contempt burst through Doji as he gritted his teeth. "You think you can get away with this so easily?"

The click sounded. He cocked his gun.

Then another. And another and another and another.

"For once, yes."

The wails from the approaching cars grew louder and louder and Gingka smiled. The police had arrived. Great work Hikaru!

A wry and dry laugh left his withered and fear-licked lips as Doji's head swivelled towards the introduction of new sound of the blaring sirens and with trembling hands he grabbed hold of something resembling a black plastic remote.

"Think again, boy."

A lot of things happened at once.

Ryuga's head jerked to the right– towards Gingka. The door opened to reveal a lilac haired lad, holding a bundle of papers. Nile stepped back suddenly grabbing hold of Masamune's sleeve pulling him back, foreseeing the upcoming events.

Ryuga ran towards Gingka and then past him. The redhead's heart pounded as he looked over at Dynamis then Doji then at Damian who looked shell-shocked. Doji pressed the conspicuously bulging button. Time seemed to halt.

Gingka rushed towards the door. A horrible rupturing and deafening sound of the explosion along with a blinding bursting spell of light engulfed his surroundings. He fell and hit the ground roughly. All he felt was excruciating pain and an annoying buzzing as if he had gone deaf. He tried getting up to get away from the scorching and singeing sensation that had been clawing at his back but the black anaesthetising sensation was already dominating everything.

* * *

When he regained consciousness, the first thing he heard was the repeated utterance of his name. The voice seemed recognizable and pitchy.

"H-hikaru?" He groaned, pushing the word out of his lips.

A gasp of relief resonated as her slender arms pulled him up with a hug so that he was sitting. He winced and she let go.

When he looked around all he saw was a shattered and bludgeoned version of the peaceful office he was standing in a few moments ago. Getting his feet under him with difficulty and a lot of help from Hikaru, his eyes rested on the brutally gashed body lying crumpled at the far end of the room, the corpse's face a melancholy pealed picture of bright red which was dull and oozing wet. The golden glint of the piece of a circular metal and wisp of dark hair in a mess of ripped limbs and bloody flesh looked like a grotesque image that seemed to cause a shudder to run down his spine. He wanted to retch and tear his eyes away at the sight but could not and so he kept staring, awe-stricken.

Hikaru nudged him to break him out of reverie.

"Dynamis…" she said softly.

Gingka's attention snapped to his comrade. He lay curled at the floor, the files he was sent to retrieve in his hand now burnt at the edges and bloodied. The protruding wooden edge of the door had impaled his side as he groaned in pain, his gaze frantic and breathing heavy.

"Help me."

Hikaru nodded.

* * *

The brunette headed towards the building, body trembling with fear, praying to the gods above over and over to not take him from her too…

Kyoya's absence was enough to leave her wrecked and broken and if Gingka–if he–

Her vision blurred due to the wet wringing her tear-stained cheeks. The loud sirens were echoing in her surroundings but she did not care. There was a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see an officer saying something to her and pulling her away from the building. She struggled trying to push him away. Gingka was in there. He was in that building and she had let him go. She let him…

"Let go of me!"

"Miss, you can't–"

"I said let go!"

"Miss, you need to understand. This is a res–"

"He is in there! Let go!"

She was screaming.

"He's… he's in there! I h-have to–"

She was flailing and thrashing her arms trying to push the man trying to take her away from him.

"I have to… He won't– He won't–"

She was being dragged away. Away from him… Away from all that she had left.

"GINGKA!" She cried, helplessly trying to push whoever it was making it difficult for her to reach him. She had to… why would they not understand? She had to get to him. Maybe she could save him. Maybe she could… Maybe…

Her knees buckled and she crouched, head in her hands and sobbed, letting the anguish drown her into the merciless depths of agony and misery. "G-gingka…"

* * *

The first thing as the white light encompassed him he felt was something hard pressing, no, smacking him harshly and then the clawing sensation turned into a burning and scorching pain.

There were numerous voices, a piercing light directed at his eyes and the feel of hands and arms trying to support his weight. A rough masculine voice rumbled through his ears and then the haze cleared and he saw white hair.

"Ryuga?"

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah. What just─"

"That pea brained bastard blasted the whole place into bits."

An answering pained groan met him.

"Hey! A little help, you pathetic twits!"

"N-no… I am fine," He pushed himself up ignoring the throbbing twinge brutally tearing his spine. "I am f-fine…"

The ground gave way from underneath his feet and Ryuga rushed to stop him from falling. "You're ability to tell the truth is wonderful as always. Idiot. C'mon."

* * *

She spotted him.

Dashing right towards him, Madoka abandoned all thoughts, paying no heed to any consequences or the looks from the people around them. A burst of relief shot through her.

"Gingka?"

The redhead turned to look at the worried brunette and wrapped his arms around her petite frame as she sobbed into his chest, clinging onto him as tightly as she could.

He had just left Dynamis in one of the ambulances and Hikaru had accompanied him. When he had turned he had seen the familiar brown tufts approaching him, rushing straight towards him.

She was clutching at him hard as if she was afraid he might vanish, her arms tightly curled around his torso and hurting his blistered back but he did not care. A numbing and relieving sensation shook him at the sight of her. So close…

"Shh… Madoka," Gingka said soothingly, caressing the brown locks gently, holding her close. "Madoka, it's okay. I am fine… It's fine."

"N-no… You–there was a f-fire, Gingka. You could… what if you weren't if– if…"

"It's okay, Madoka. Everything's okay now."

There was some truth to what he said. Masamune and Nile were okay and had not sustained any major injuries. And regardless of what Doji claimed, Zeo and Toby were found – alive and okay. Doji… Doji was dead due to the very explosion he caused…

" _One usually seals his fate by taking the very path he chooses to avoid it."_

Indeed.

…and many of his _pawns_ were taken into custody. However, any source of information which could direct them towards Doji's ill intentions was burnt along with the fire. But one could not hope for everything, now could he?

The consolations spilled from his lips like a languid river as he tried to pacify the brunette's evident surge of panic.

"Don't worry, Madoka. Everything will be alright." He looked down.

She looked up. His face was covered with dirt, his hair matted with blood, shirt charred and torn and his eyes retaining a look of solemnity but she felt safe…

* * *

"Get in…"

He stood ignoring Ryuga's statement, staring at her languorously.

She was there. Beautiful as always…

In the arms of another.

Out of his grasp.

He felt his world tumble and crash… into something that could never be mended.

* * *

Sitting in the bulky vehicle opposite to her, a lazy and exhausted grin ghosted Gingka's lips as he stared at her.

She simply stared back, looking equally worn out, her head resting on her hand, elbow propped against the edge of the window.

It was over.

It finally was over.

Maybe now she could have some peace. With no more deaths… no pain… no killing… no nightmares.

They were about to leave and she gazed out the window looking at the after-effects of chaos and panic swiftly running through the crowd of medics, injured, police and criminals in front of her.

It was then that she saw him, that she suddenly caught sight of a poignant shade of oceanic blue directed her way, when they were leaving and she was moving far– farther. It was like her heart had forgotten how to beat as her lips parted in shock with the gasp stuck on her lips. The azure took her in, raking her skin with a familiar sense of intensity and craving that rendered her weak and coveting like a drug to an addict. His green hair was ruffled and a jagged slash was prominent and bleeding on the side of his cheek. His chest rose up and down in a soft natural movement as he looked at her face void of any emotion though the alluring blue of his eyes spilled all that he felt, yearned for, wanted…

The word left her lips like an inevitable utterance with an unusual sort of hastiness and voice so low and quivering but she still said it. Maybe to satisfy herself, maybe to break from this trance, maybe to assure herself that this was real, that he was there… standing amongst the aftermath of destruction and death.

Alive and breathing.

"Kyoya…"

* * *

 **A/N:** *evil cackle* Muahahaha! HE GOT RESURRECTED! *holds a bowl of fake blood, running around in a weird tunic, grinning like a maniac* Yes, yes... I never mentioned of Kyoya's 'body' (nobody saw his corpse, right?) and Gingka said 'that you _think_ I killed him...' and then Gingka smiling when Madoka mentioned they were doing this for Kyoya... Hehehe... Pretty obvious? No? Yes?

Anyway... this was officially the last chappie of this story. Only an epilogue is left and I am thinking of wrapping this up. xD

I hope this was a good ending chapter.

And oh, apologies for any mistakes... I was so happy that my paper went well that I wrote like a driven hag when i came back home! :P So, I didn't re-read this... Yes, I am exhilarated. *sigh*


	22. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

She always liked this place, always found it to be serene.

Her legs were curled underneath her as she sat at the bench that still creaked as she last remembered. Her azure gaze swept up the huge wooden trunk, which unlike the bench only grew stronger as each day passed, never withering or shrivelling into something helpless or fragile, and after all this time still managed to block the light like a solid obstruction.

A smiled curved her lips.

Always getting better.

She had just seen Dynamis, still in his hospital bed but well. Smiling, he asked her to take a break. The little scar still marked his face like a brutal reminder of had happened but he looked healthy and better. Quite better.

Hikaru although…

She chuckled at the thought of her best girlfriend who _almost_ managed not to strangle the nurse. Hikaru was quite overprotective. But it was good. It was better.

Madoka thought about how Nile had visited her the other day, with Gingka grinning like an idiot and they had burgers. _Gingka and his thing for hamburgers, seriously._

Just like old times…

She then thought of Masamune, Zeo and Toby and harked back to how Zeo and Masamune were poking at her tools in the morning insisting her to hurry up while Toby asked them not tease her. It had been a while since they bladed and it was good to see them in the usual competitive mood.

No, it was better.

Everything seemed better with the lads' usual goofiness, their persistent attitudes, their insatiable hunger, their snickering arguments, and their crazed hyperactivity finally catching up along with their very dominant recklessness.

But they had changed.

Everyone had, in their own way.

Madoka sighed.

Everyone did except for Benkei maybe, who was still the very familiar bundle of optimism and still followed Kyoya like a friendly protector .

The smile played once again on her lips until she felt the gnawing sensation of loss cut through her as it always did when she came here.

Eyes closed, she stayed there and waited, as she did each day.

She turned her head to the side, and found him staring ahead.

It still felt unreal, to have him sitting so close, to feel the warmth radiating off his body and like a sting slicing her, to see him breathe when she clearly could not.

She was staring– staring to savour, staring to memorise, staring to dull the twinge that still swelled up inside her when she saw him every now and then never really meeting her eye.

* * *

 _Her heart drummed against her ribcage with the destructive force of a typhoon as she saw them making way towards her._

 _She could feel his fingers tightening around her neck, her mouth, in a painfully taut grip as he pinned her against the wall, his gaze unyielding and stern. Madoka could still feel the brush of his snowy white hair like pinpricks piercing her skin._

 _She shivered._

 _He smirked._

" _Amano," Ryuga recited her name with some amount of self-satisfaction after seeing the agitated brunette._

 _Madoka tried to keep her tone civil and tried to restrain the quiver that threatened to escape her. He was not going to harm her anymore. He was not._

" _Gingka, what is he doing here?"_

 _If possible, his smirk grew wider, more unforgiving._

" _I am here on behalf of Kyoya."_

* * *

 _With a stubborn stance, arms crossed and scowl set, Madoka sat down on the table._

 _He came in, gaze somewhat depicting exasperation and features utterly blank and nonchalant._

" _I did not expect this from you, Madoka."_

 _He was looking at her, with a very practised amount of monotony and complacence, wondering if she could peel off the layers he wore like fake skin, to shatter the bridge between them._

 _She was staring at him, her expression a melded mess of pain, longing and denial._

" _No, of course, you didn't."_

" _Is something bothering you?"_

 _He had not meant for her to answer. He knew she would mutter a simple no and he would leave this office, these four plastered walls, where she had screamed and begged for him to be spared, for his life, for his forgiveness._

" _You played this game, it would be better if you told me first."_

 _A sigh escaped his lips involuntarily as he rubbed his forehead, aggravated._

" _I have explained so many times, Madoka. You were at the wrong place, at the wrong time. We had an audience_ –"

" _Damian_."

" _Yes, we could not possibly explain to you and you were never part of the plan. The less people knew about it the better_. _And you shouldn't have come barging in_ – _"_

" _I barged_? _You mean I just… just put my nose where it didn't belong?!"_

" _I didn't say that_ – _Madoka… why do you_ –"

" _Because you left! You left and I thought you had died, Kyoya. I thought you died and you just hid and watched from afar, watched how it shrivelled me into a wretch!"_

" _Well, you shouldn't have worried yourself with it. You should have accepted it. You should still accept it, I can't roam around you like I did. Everyone but a handful of people know I am not dead, Madoka. Maybe you should be one of them; after all you are not needed anymore."_

 _His words hit her like a slap and she visibly flinched._

" _What?"_

 _He continued staring at her without answering._

" _I am not needed anymore…" She repeated his statement as if tasting the words, feeling them against her tongue, rolling them to guess if they held any truth. "Of course, you don't need me. Why would you ever need me?"_

 _The tears were welling up in her eyes, like an inescapable storm ready to fall down mercilessly wrenching all strength from her._

 _Her voice croaked when she nodded her head and said, "Of course…"_

 _With that she dragged her feet, after grabbing her files, past him._

 _Out of the frightful place and away from him._

 _Just like he wanted._

 _Then why did it feel like that somebody had a rope snaked around his heart and was tugging at it with sheer brutal force?_

* * *

" _What do they mean?"_

" _What do who mean?"_

" _You're leaving?"_

 _It was either the way she had said it, the way incredulity had crept in her tone, the way the pain had seeped through the cold mask she wore around him or the way her lips quivered as her eyes searched his gaze trying to figure out the truth._

 _She always sought the truth and he had always lied._

 _For once, he did not._

" _Yes."_

" _You won't stay," She looked up at him, gulping, and her eyes a ruthless bright sapphire. "You're leaving."_

 _He just gawped at her, mouth slightly agape, trying to come up with a consolation._

 _He could not._

 _After what felt like an eternity, she walked past him and he stood there._

* * *

"You're still leaving."

The statement brought the tumbling surge of unspoken questions down on him as he looked at her. She was gazing at the enormous wooden trunk in front of them.

He did not know why she always chose this place. It was at the corner of the park, secluded and dull.

The bench was situated at a weird place, with a tree looming right in front of it which blocked any view that might be visible otherwise. It was like looking at a wall, at a cul-de-sac. For him, it could possibly have no appeal, but she still gaped at like it was the most entrancing thing she had seen.

"Yes." He replied simply like before.

There was no point in denying it.

She smiled wistfully.

The light penetrated through the coffee brown curls that brushed her cheeks, giving them golden hue. Her eyes glittered, the blue like a soft spill of a pure stream. She was clutching the hem of the grey cotton shirt that hugged her form, the only thing that portrayed that she was anxious.

He looked at her, willing himself to say something.

He was leaving. He was leaving and there was no denying it.

She looked at him again, her eyes expectant.

He wanted to say something, to tell her something. Anything.

He could not bring himself to do it.

Just like before.

His mind tried forming words as she stood up, head bent down.

He blankly stared.

He wanted to say something to apologise for what he did earlier, wanted to apologise for what he said, he wanted to tell her that what he said was untrue that he did need her. He did… and that all that time he stayed away knowing she thought he was dead was painful. It was painful and agonising in every way possible. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to stay, that in other circumstances if he could he would. He wanted to explain that he said all that he did, had distanced himself from her because if she stayed it could only harm her, that he did not want to get her involved in what had sucked him in and was drowning him into a web of lies. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to protect her from such a fate. He did not want her to see what lied beyond.

 _You do not know, Madoka. There is so much you do not know._

He wanted to tell her that he wished to stay but could not.

Gazes locked, they stared, the silence dreadfully hanging between them like a wall, until all of it came crashing down and the words left her lips like a death sentence.

"Goodbye, Kyoya."

Turning around, she walked ahead.

Away.

He stood up, thinking of reaching her, stopping her, holding her close and telling her–telling her what he could not say.

She walked without looking back. She walked hoping he would rush towards her and tell her that he wanted to stay.

Wishful thinking…

 _Always wishful thinking._

With a sigh, Madoka kept walking.

Staring...

He wanted to tell her...

Hopelessly staring.

He wanted to–

' _You won't stay.'_

He watched…

Watched her leave.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes, I am done with this! YAY!

Okay, so what did you think of the end? I know I don't like happy endings and well, Kyoya is a personal tool I like to torture for fun, but the only explanation I have is that I like Kyoya how he is and I don't like the idea of ruining him getting all soppy with words and feelings. I personally think if he were in such a situation he would never voice out what he really felt, for he is a bit distant and you know he doesn't usually portray his feelings... Yes, yes, I am babbling, I know.

So, yes. That is that?

But in case someone still wants to kill me, Masamune is always there to take my place. *chuckles*

Masamune: (''e_e )

Anyway, a special thanks to all who reviewed and I am glad I could keep you guys entertained.

But a special, _special_ thank you to **GinMado, DJ, Striker86** and **Lydiaholabang** for sticking with me from the start. xD

Until next time. ;)


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